Protecting the Constitutional Right to Earn an Honest Living

Why is economic liberty no less precious than other rights? Why is it often protected so poorly? And what is IJ doing to strengthen economic freedom across the country?

Mr. Mellor speaks about IJ’s ongoing and successful efforts in challenging economic regulations that deny individuals the right to pursue occupations of their choice. Men and women, for example, seeking to be florists, hair-braiders, casket-resellers, equine dentists — and most recently, taxi drivers in Minneapolis.

The Institute for Justice, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is the most effective libertarian public interest litigation firm in the nation. Perhaps its most important victory came in 2002, when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Cleveland’s voucher program for low-income students. A veteran of the Reagan administration, Mr. Mellor received his law degree from the Denver School of Law.