ADL and Gibson Dunn Launch Nationwide Pro-Bono Legal Support Network in Response to Surge of Antisemitic Incidents
Firm News | October 29, 2025
ADL Legal Action Network will allow victims to report incidents and access immediate legal services
In response to a sustained surge of violence and hate toward Jews and Jewish institutions across the United States, ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and Gibson Dunn today announced the launch of an unprecedented, coordinated network of law firms to provide free legal assistance to victims of antisemitism.
ADL Legal Action Network is powered by Gibson Dunn and has a steering committee of additional law firms including Cooley LLP; Covington & Burling LLP; Morgan Lewis; Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP; and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP. More than 40 law firms across the U.S. have agreed to receive client referrals or provide support as co-counsel, as part of ADL Legal Action Network. These law firms are comprised of 39,000 attorneys across 35 states, featuring graduates from each of the nation’s top 30 law schools.
The ADL Legal Action Network will provide victims with access to a national response system and a nationwide network of law firms.
Anyone who has experienced antisemitic discrimination, intimidation, harassment, vandalism or violence anywhere in the country can, by submitting information online [https://www.adl.org/adl-legal-action], ask that their case be evaluated by a professional litigation team. The system leverages cutting-edge AI technology to efficiently triage and route cases to the network of law firms and ADL’s national incident response infrastructure. A team of lawyers will assess relevant reports and, where warranted, conduct in-depth information gathering interviews to help assess whether to provide pro-bono representation for victims.
“For decades, victims of antisemitism have come to ADL to receive frontline services,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “Through this partnership with Gibson Dunn, alongside dozens of the world’s top tier law firms, we are now dramatically expanding our capabilities to support more Jewish Americans by helping to provide direct access to legal support anywhere in the country. Our goal is to pursue cases that have the potential to bring justice to those who experience acts of antisemitism.”
“We are proud to establish this unprecedented legal protection against antisemitism, extremism, and hate,” said Gibson Dunn partner Orin Snyder. “Building on the success of our college campus initiative, we will work tirelessly to disrupt and fight antisemitism at every level and across all our communities.”
“At Gibson Dunn, our pro bono practice is anchored in the principle that everyone is entitled to justice under the law and seeks to root out discrimination in all its forms,” said Gibson Dunn partner and pro bono chair Katie Marquart. “We are proud to be using our legal expertise to battle antisemitism and to advocate for those who have been subjected to this pernicious and virulent form of hate.”
Antisemitic incidents spiked dramatically in the U.S. following the terrorist massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with 9,354 anti-Jewish incidents reported across the U.S. in 2024, according to ADL data. The FBI’s latest hate crime data indicates that Jews continue to be the most targeted religious group in America, bearing the brunt of more than 70 percent of all reported religiously motivated hate crimes. This increase in antisemitic activity against Jewish individuals and community institutions has resulted in significantly increased demand for legal representation.
Potential areas of support include:
- Antisemitism that results in physical harm, harassment and doxxing, prevention of religious exercise or disruption of government functions;
- Antisemitism and hate at educational institutions, including antisemitic curriculum or building takeovers;
- Legal action against antisemitic extremist organizations or individuals;
- Discriminatory business or employment practices, which could include firings, demotions, unpaid leave, denial of religious accommodation or damage at Jewish-owned businesses.
The ADL Legal Action Network builds on work started with the legal helpline that ADL, Gibson Dunn, the Brandeis Center and Hillel International created in 2023 to assist students and parents experiencing antisemitism on college campuses. To date the Campus Antisemitism Legal Line, or CALL, received nearly 1,000 reports from students, faculty and staff at 230 campuses nationwide and led directly to the filing of civil rights complaints, criminal prosecutions and other actions. Individuals, faculty and staff can continue to report to CALL when faced with antisemitism on campus.
ADL’s National Litigation Department, founded in 2023 to use legal action as a weapon against antisemitism and extremism, has filed more cases in the last two years than in the organization’s entire 112-year history. For example, ADL has filed lawsuits on behalf of individuals who have faced antisemitic discrimination at business establishments, campuses and workplaces, fighting for accountability and equal treatment. ADL is representing victims of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in their ongoing fight for justice, and its team of experienced litigators is also pursuing cases that will hold neo-Nazi groups accountable for violating the law.
About Gibson Dunn
Gibson Dunn is a leading global law firm with a dedicated pro bono practice driven by its lawyers’ commitment to advancing justice. Consistently ranking among the world’s top law firms in industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn deploys its legal prowess to tackle pressing social, legal, and humanitarian issues. From impact litigation to direct services representations for society’s most vulnerable, Gibson Dunn seeks to expand access to justice, fight for equality under the law, and drive systemic change. Last year, lawyers across the firm’s international platform contributed more than 200,000 hours to pro bono work. For more information on Gibson Dunn, please visit the firm’s website.
About ADL
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.