Counsel, First Liberty Institute
Kayla Toney is Associate Counsel with First Liberty Institute, concentrating on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights for clients of all faiths.
Prior to joining First Liberty, Kayla litigated religious freedom cases as a Constitutional Law Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. She clerked for Judge Gregory E. Maggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, where she gained valuable experience in the military justice system. Kayla also worked as a litigation associate in the D.C. office of Winston & Strawn LLP, where she enjoyed working on pro bono religious liberty matters.
Kayla earned her law degree from George Washington University, where she served as president of the Federalist Society chapter, a member of the GW International Law Review, and a writing fellow. She graduated summa cum laude from Grove City College with a degree in history and economics.
A native of Michigan, Kayla is based in First Liberty’s Washington, D.C. office and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and D.C.
Associate Counsel, Clement & Murphy, PLLC
Kevin’s practice focuses on briefing complex legal issues at all levels of the federal court system. Before joining Clement & Murphy, Kevin served as a Trial Attorney in the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, where he briefed and argued high-profile cases challenging federal laws as well as Executive Branch policies and decisions. Those cases involved both merits and discovery issues concerning a wide range of constitutional provisions, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, Title VII, and various national security issues, including habeas litigation involving Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Kevin earned his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was an Executive Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, a member of the Supreme Court Clinic, a Littleton Fellow in legal writing, and a member of the Moot Court Board. After graduating from Penn, Kevin clerked for Judge David Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Judge D. Brooks Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Counsel, First Liberty Institute
Kayla Toney is Associate Counsel with First Liberty Institute, concentrating on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights for clients of all faiths.
Prior to joining First Liberty, Kayla litigated religious freedom cases as a Constitutional Law Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. She clerked for Judge Gregory E. Maggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, where she gained valuable experience in the military justice system. Kayla also worked as a litigation associate in the D.C. office of Winston & Strawn LLP, where she enjoyed working on pro bono religious liberty matters.
Kayla earned her law degree from George Washington University, where she served as president of the Federalist Society chapter, a member of the GW International Law Review, and a writing fellow. She graduated summa cum laude from Grove City College with a degree in history and economics.
A native of Michigan, Kayla is based in First Liberty’s Washington, D.C. office and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and D.C.
Associate Counsel, Clement & Murphy, PLLC
Kevin’s practice focuses on briefing complex legal issues at all levels of the federal court system. Before joining Clement & Murphy, Kevin served as a Trial Attorney in the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, where he briefed and argued high-profile cases challenging federal laws as well as Executive Branch policies and decisions. Those cases involved both merits and discovery issues concerning a wide range of constitutional provisions, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, Title VII, and various national security issues, including habeas litigation involving Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Kevin earned his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was an Executive Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, a member of the Supreme Court Clinic, a Littleton Fellow in legal writing, and a member of the Moot Court Board. After graduating from Penn, Kevin clerked for Judge David Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Judge D. Brooks Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Litigation Fellow, Pacific Legal Foundation
Nick Clifford is a litigation fellow at Pacific Legal Foundation. He is a graduate of Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
General Counsel, Pelican Institute
Sarah Harbison joined the Pelican Institute as General Counsel in January 2020. At the Pelican Institute, Sarah serves in the vital role of defending Louisianians’ First Amendment rights, as well as their right to earn a living. Prior to joining the Pelican Institute, Sarah’s civil defense practice focused on products liability litigation. Because politics is her first love, Sarah left full-time law practice in December 2015 to advise political candidates full time, including candidates for U.S. Senate, treasurer, secretary of state, and governor. A Lafayette, Louisiana native, Sarah is a summa cum laude graduate of Loyola University and Loyola Law School, where she served as a member of the Moot Court staff. She and her husband, Medlock, live in the Garden District in New Orleans with their cats, Beau and Jack. Sarah and Medlock enjoy hiking in our country’s national parks, exploring Civil War battlefields, and renovating their 100-year-old home.
Senior Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation
Oliver Dunford joined the Pacific Legal Foundation in March 2017. He litigates across the country to defend and advance individual liberty and the rule of law. Oliver’s cases involve the separation of powers, economic liberty, property rights, and the First Amendment.
Oliver remains inspired by the Classical Liberal ideals upon which our Founders declared independence and secured the blessings of liberty. The Constitution’s promises, however, are not self-executing. As James Madison explained, “In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” Oliver feels lucky that his work helps oblige the government to control itself—to the end that all individuals may pursue their rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Before joining PLF, Oliver clerked at the Ohio Supreme Court and the Ohio Court of Appeals, and spent more than a decade in private practice working on complex commercial litigation. Originally from Cleveland, Oliver is a graduate of the University of Dayton and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where he was a managing editor for the Cleveland State Law Review. Oliver is admitted to the state bars of Florida, California, and Ohio, as well as several federal courts including the United States Supreme Court.
Oliver spends all of his free time following the Cleveland Indians.
Partner, Lewis Brisbois
Sarah E. Lang is a partner in the New York office of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the Appellate Practice. Ms. Lang has represented clients at all levels of state and federal courts, including the New York State Appellate Division, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. The primary focus of her practice is drafting and arguing substantive motions and appeals before the federal courts and New York’s trial and appellate courts in substantive areas including general liability, New York Labor Law, medical malpractice, premises liability, and rideshare and transportation matters, among others. She also has extensive experience representing clients, including religious institutions, in matters arising under Title VII, the First Amendment, RLUIPA, New York’s City and State Human Rights Laws, New York’s Religious Corporations Law, and New York’s Real Property Tax Law. This includes federal jury trial experience and providing preventive advice and counseling. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Lang clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. She also previously served as an Attorney Advisor for the United States Department of Education.
Charles Yates is an attorney in Pacific Legal Foundation’s environmental practice group, where he litigates to defend private property rights and uphold the structural protections guaranteed by the Constitution’s separation of powers.
His inspiration to focus on environmental law comes from the special case of government overreach it presents, where individual rights too often give way to collectivist notions and where misguided government policies create a cure worse than the disease. Charles has a particularly strong belief in the important role that the productive use of natural resources plays for human flourishing. To these ends, his practice at PLF focuses primarily on the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and related regulatory issues.
Charles credits his strong belief in the principles of individual liberty and limited, constitutional government to his family. His personal philosophy developed further while studying the works of Adam Smith, John Locke, James Madison, and other classical liberals. Born and raised in Australia, Charles has always admired the U.S. Constitution as the purest and most enduring application of the ideals of individual liberty and limited government. It was these influences that impressed upon him the desire to pursue a career in public interest litigation.
After obtaining a B.A. in political science and international relations from the University of Western Australia, Charles moved to the U.S., where he earned his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law. During law school, he served as president of his school’s chapter of The Federalist Society and was an editor of the University of Baltimore Law Review. Other highlights from his law school days include an internship at the Cato Institute and a clerkship at the Institute for Justice.
Charles lives in Sacramento with his wife Maxine. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and playing the bass guitar.
Partner, Ford & Harrison LLP
Robin W. Hutton has successfully litigated numerous employment matters in both state and federal courts and achieved favorable results before numerous administrative boards and agencies in numerous states. Robbin works with clients in developing and implementing employment policies, as well as training on the major areas of employment and labor law. She has conducted training and seminars on various employment-related topics to include sexual harassment/discrimination, FMLA, FLSA, immigration issues, union issues, and ADA, as well as conducted many work-related investigations for clients, as well as HR audits for employers.
Prior to joining Ford & Harrison, Robbin was Of Counsel in the Memphis office of a national labor and employment law firm where she worked the areas of employment and labor law, insurance defense, and civil litigation.
Counsel, First Liberty Institute
Kayla Toney is Associate Counsel with First Liberty Institute, concentrating on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights for clients of all faiths.
Prior to joining First Liberty, Kayla litigated religious freedom cases as a Constitutional Law Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. She clerked for Judge Gregory E. Maggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, where she gained valuable experience in the military justice system. Kayla also worked as a litigation associate in the D.C. office of Winston & Strawn LLP, where she enjoyed working on pro bono religious liberty matters.
Kayla earned her law degree from George Washington University, where she served as president of the Federalist Society chapter, a member of the GW International Law Review, and a writing fellow. She graduated summa cum laude from Grove City College with a degree in history and economics.
A native of Michigan, Kayla is based in First Liberty’s Washington, D.C. office and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and D.C.
Associate Counsel, Clement & Murphy, PLLC
Kevin’s practice focuses on briefing complex legal issues at all levels of the federal court system. Before joining Clement & Murphy, Kevin served as a Trial Attorney in the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, where he briefed and argued high-profile cases challenging federal laws as well as Executive Branch policies and decisions. Those cases involved both merits and discovery issues concerning a wide range of constitutional provisions, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, Title VII, and various national security issues, including habeas litigation involving Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Kevin earned his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was an Executive Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, a member of the Supreme Court Clinic, a Littleton Fellow in legal writing, and a member of the Moot Court Board. After graduating from Penn, Kevin clerked for Judge David Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Judge D. Brooks Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Litigation Update: Kloosterman v. Metropolitan Hospital
Kayla Ann Toney, Kevin Wynosky
Valerie Kloosterman, a devout Christian and third-generation healthcare professional, served her community as a Physician...
Litigation Update: Kloosterman v. Metropolitan Hospital
Kayla Ann Toney, Kevin Wynosky
Valerie Kloosterman, a devout Christian and third-generation healthcare professional, served her community as a Physician...
Litigation Update: Kloosterman v. Metropolitan Hospital
Illinois Supreme Court Addresses Expectations of Privacy in Hospital Trauma Rooms
Nick Clifford
In People v. Turner, the Supreme Court of Illinois addressed the issue of whether an...
IVF and the Original Meaning of "Minor Child" at the Alabama Supreme Court
Sarah R. Harbison
Lepage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine was decided by the Alabama Supreme Court on...
Georgia Supreme Court Rules Certificates of Need Confer Private Rights
Oliver Dunford
In Kennestone Hospital, Inc. v. Emory University, the Supreme Court of Georgia was asked to...
Groff v. DeJoy: The Death of the “De Minimis” Test Breathes Life Back into Religious Accommodation
Sarah E. Lang
In a unanimous decision last June, the Supreme Court in Groff v. DeJoy heightened the...
Public records, Excel spreadsheets, and textualism: Kansas Supreme Court affirms the separation of powers
Charles Yates
Within the American system of government, legislative authority is the sole prerogative of the people’s...
Caniglia v. Strom: Expanding the Community Caretaking Exception to the Fourth Amendment Threatens Our Right to be Secure in Our Homes
The Fourth Amendment protects “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their ....
Religious Accommodation in the Workplace: Current Trends Under Title VII
Robbin W. Hutton
Arecent survey of American workers suggests that religious discrimination is a growing workplace concern.1 Indeed,...