On April 24, 2025, The Buckeye Institute, in collaboration with the Pelican Institute, submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the case Crowe v. Oregon State Bar. The brief asserts that attorneys should not be compelled to join state-sponsored bar associations that engage in political and ideological advocacy, as such mandates infringe upon First Amendment rights.
David C. Tryon, director of litigation at The Buckeye Institute, stated, “When bar associations engage in advocacy and speak on matters of public concern, they are engaging in inherently political speech, and forcing attorneys to support this speech through mandatory dues violates the constitutional protections of free speech that we all hold so dear.”
The argument presented by The Buckeye Institute and Pelican Institute challenges Oregon’s integrated bar system. This system mandates attorneys to become association members and pay dues, which the brief claims is an unconstitutional condition for practicing law, as it obligates them to financially support the association’s political activities.
The Goldwater Institute represents Daniel Crowe in this case. Crowe, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and attorney in Oregon, contests the state’s bar association requirements.
