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AMERICAN HEALTH LEGAL FOUNDATION

TUCSON, AZ · EIN 362991388 · Form 990 · FY2022 · Small ($100K-$1M) · americanhealthlegalfoundation.org
revenue
$350K
expenses
$122K
net assets
$1.4M
employees
0
program ratio
95%
mission · from form 990

PERFORM LEGAL RESEARCH AND FILE LITIGATION AND AMICUS BRIEFS IN DEFENSE OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF PATIENTS AND PHYSICIANS.

profile · synthesized from sources

The American Health Legal Foundation is a nonprofit legal advocacy organization that litigates and files amicus briefs to defend constitutional rights in medicine, focusing on physician free speech, patient autonomy, and opposition to government mandates. It acts as the legal arm of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), challenging policies related to vaccine requirements, peer review, and federal regulatory overreach. The organization operates nationally through litigation in federal courts and appellate circuits.

named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

Amicus Brief Program
Files amicus briefs in key constitutional cases before federal appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court, including challenges to ObamaCare mandates and transgender medical funding
Federal Regulatory Litigation
Challenges federal requirements such as FinCEN’s beneficial ownership reporting rule and National Practitioner Data Bank policies through lawsuits and appellate advocacy
Free Speech Defense for Physicians
Challenges state mandates requiring DEI content in CME courses and defends physicians' First Amendment rights through litigation and amicus briefs, including cases in the Ninth Circuit
Opposition to Vaccine Mandates
Files legal challenges and amicus briefs against state elimination of religious exemptions for vaccines affecting both physicians and patients
Sham Peer Review Defense
Provides emergency legal support to physicians facing retaliatory peer review by hospitals and litigates cases in federal appellate courts
activities · 1 group

what they do

  • Constitutional Litigation & Amicus Advocacy 4 activities
    • Filing amicus briefs in high-impact medical and religious liberty cases
      Submits amicus briefs in federal appellate courts to influence rulings on issues including vaccination mandates, CME requirements, transgender healthcare funding, and religious exemptions. These efforts have led to courts demanding responses from state authorities and, in one case, a full Eleventh Circuit reversal on taxpayer funding of transgender procedures.
    • Influencing federal health policy through legal advocacy
      Engages in legal and policy advocacy that directly impacts federal regulations, such as contributing to the Trump Administration’s 2020 order halting FinCEN reporting for physicians and supporting Supreme Court actions that enable HHS leadership to remove members of advisory task forces enforcing ObamaCare mandates.
    • Litigation and Amicus Briefs for Medical Freedom
      The organization files lawsuits and amicus briefs in federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court and various Circuit Courts (e.g., Fifth, Ninth, Eleventh, Fourth), to establish legal precedents supporting freedom in medicine. This includes challenging Covid-related policies, specialty board actions, National Practitioner Data Bank policies, FinCEN reporting requirements for physicians, California's CME mandate, elimination of religious exemptions to vaccination, and flu vaccine mandates, as well as defending physicians against retaliation.
    • Strategic litigation to protect medical freedom
      Files lawsuits and appeals to challenge government and institutional policies perceived as infringing on medical freedom, including cases related to Covid-19 mandates, FinCEN reporting requirements, and physician rights. The organization has active litigation in federal appellate courts, including the Fifth and Ninth Circuits, with cases expected to proceed through 2026.
financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$350K
Contributions & grants$338K97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$12K3%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$122K
Program expenses95%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1.44M
Cash$329K
Investments$1.11M
Liabilities$0
Net assets$1.44M
Liquid reserves141.7 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue -34.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
DR JANE ORIENT SECRETARY/TR 2 $183K
DR LAWRENCE R HUNTOON PRESIDENT 0 $64K
board members · 2
  • MARYLIN M SINGLETON MD JD — DIRECTOR
  • MICHAEL ROBB MD — DIRECTOR
relationships · 4

who they work with

  • Association of American Physicians and Surgeons Network — Legal foundation arm of AAPS, supporting its members.
  • Colin Gunn Partner — Members were featured in his documentary movie "Wait Till It's Free" (2014).
  • DOJ Government — Officials from DOJ spoke at their annual meeting.
  • HHS Government — Officials from HHS spoke at their annual meeting.