"We're Going to the Courthouse and We're Getting an Injunction": How to Evaluate Litigation Within Broader Advocacy Campaigns

Impact litigation (also called “strategic litigation”) is headline news in 2025. From the mass firing of federal workers to ending birthright citizenship, the Trump administration’s policies have fueled innumerable federal court challenges (as was also frequently the case during the Biden administration). Evaluators need to understand impact litigation, because, in the current environment, it deeply affects most other advocacy tactics. During this session, participants will learn the key features of impact litigation and how litigators devise and implement strategies in collaboration with other advocates, community organizers, and communications experts. Next, presenters will discuss common frameworks and tools for evaluation of litigation, highlighting areas of similarity and difference with evaluation approaches for other advocacy tactics. They will illustrate impact litigation MLE in practice using case examples and work in progress, and share relevant MLE resources. Ample time will be provided for participants to ask questions and share insights with colleagues.
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