Michael Bindas is a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice (IJ) and leads IJ’s educational choice team. In this role, he oversees a talented group of IJ attorneys who help policymakers design constitutionally defensible educational choice programs and who defend educational choice programs in courtrooms nationwide. He joined IJ in 2005.
Michael was part of IJ’s litigation team in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, in which the U.S. Supreme Court held the exclusion of religious options from Montana’s educational choice program unconstitutional, and he led IJ’s defense of the Choice Scholarship Program for elementary and secondary students in Douglas County, Colorado. He also successfully challenged Washington’s denial of special education services to children in religious schools, as well as the state’s exclusion of sectarian options from its state work study program. Currently, he leads IJ’s team in Carson v. Makin, challenging Maine’s exclusion of religious options from its educational choice program.
Prior to leading IJ’s educational choice team, Michael litigated extensively to secure economic liberty, property rights, and freedom of speech throughout the nation. He was counsel of record at the U.S. Supreme Court for Kimbrough Fine Wine & Spirits in Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association v. Thomas, a successful challenge to Tennessee’s durational residency requirements for retail liquor licenses. He also led successful challenges to the municipal sign codes of St. Louis, Mo. and Norfolk, Va., after those cities attempted to silence protests of their abusive eminent domain practices.
Prior to joining IJ, Michael spent three years as an attorney with Perkins Coie LLP. He is a former law clerk to Judge Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and served as an engineer officer in the United States Army and Pennsylvania Army National Guard before beginning his legal career.
Michael received his law degree cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2001, where he served as Articles Editor for the Journal of Constitutional Law and was elected to the Order of the Coif. He received his undergraduate degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1995.
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The Legal and Policy Questions Concerning Educational Choice Programs
Nebraska Lawyers Chapter
Room 1524 - Nebraska State Capitol1445 K St
Lincoln, NE 68508
Supreme Court Practice: A Discussion on Carson v. Makin
Rutgers-Newark Student Chapter
Rutgers Law School123 Washington St.
Newark, NJ 07103
Carson v. Makin and the Future of School Choice
Pennsylvania Student Chapter
Penn Law3501 Sansom St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Carson v. Makin and the Educational Choice Movement
Michigan Student Chapter
Michigan Law School625 S State St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
A Win for School Choice
Idaho Student Chapter
University of Idaho College of Law514 W. Jefferson St.
Boise, ID 83702
Debate on School Choice after Carson v. Makin
Featuring: Michael Bindas, Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice Richard Katskee, Vice President and Legal Director,...
Courthouse Steps Oral Argument Webinar: Carson v. Makin
On December 8, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Carson v....
Courthouse Steps Oral Argument Webinar: Carson v. Makin
On December 8, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Carson v....
Litigation Update: Restoring the Lost Privileges or Immunities Clause?
A new petition for certiorari at the U.S. Supreme Court presents an invaluable opportunity for...
The Status of Use-Based Exclusions & Educational Choice After Espinoza
Federalist Society Review, Volume 21
Note from the Editor: The Federalist Society takes no positions on particular legal and public...