About the project

The Barbara McDowell High Impact Litigation Project, a national initiative, was launched in 2009. It has coordinated and supported 20 high-impact social justice litigation cases across various issue areas under the Barbara McDowell Foundation.

Project history

Barbara McDowell Foundation President Jerry Hartman and his colleagues at Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP (now Faegre Drinker) litigated various high impact litigation cases under the auspices of the Barbara McDowell Foundation from 2009 to 2021.

In 2021, the Barbara McDowell Foundation enhanced the High Impact Litigation Project by facilitating partnerships between law firms and social justice organizations pursuing high impact cases. In this capacity, the Foundation coordinated four cases.

The Barbara McDowell Public Interest Law Center

Although the Barbara McDowell Foundation successfully coordinated 20 cases in its High Impact Litigation Project, it did not conduct its own litigation. In 2023, the Barbara McDowell Public Interest Law Center was launched to pursue litigation directly, engage in issue advocacy efforts, and educate the public on civil rights.

While the Barbara McDowell Foundation and the Barbara McDowell Public Interest Law Center were separate organizations, the two shared common Board members, engaged in coordinated efforts, and honored and continued the work of their namesake, Barbara McDowell. In 2025, The Barbara McDowell Foundation and the Barbara McDowell Public Interest Law Center officially came together as one unified organization: The Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center.