"The ACLU said that 40 Days for Life was the greatest threat to 'choice' because it is highly organized and effective. The only way they can get rid of 40 Days for Life is to get rid of free speech. That is exactly what they're trying to do."
-- Shawn Carney, CEO & President, 40 Days for Life
The overturning of Roe drew new battle lines of the abortion debate, roughly dividing the County equally between States that promote abortion and those that ban or greatly restrict it. Once the lines were drawn, the battle became much more legalistic, with uncountable legal challenges and unprecedented attacks on pro-lifers nationwide and worldwide. The request for legal support exploded so 40 Days for Life leadership responded by establishing The Institute of Law & Justice (“IL&J”) within 40 Days for Life itself. During each campaign we average three requests per day for legal assistance; as well as approximately one law enforcement contact per day.
The requests for assistance traverse a wide range of legal issues, including: Buffer Zones, attacks, threats, municipal permitting, theft, trespass, harassment, vandalism and the like. This is not to mention the blatant targeting of pro-life volunteers by the DOJ and FBI. Regular interaction with state, local and federal officials is required. The need for expert litigation is more required than ever before in the pro-life movement.
The very purpose of the Institute of Law & Justice is to provide as much direct legal support to the vigils and leaders, while minimizing the need for outside counsel. Prior to the Institute of Law & Justice, most campaign legal matters that required active counsel participation and litigation were referred to outside counsel with an overwhelming workload. In the current climate we must do better to protect free speech because if corporate America gets superior lawyers, the unborn deserve even better - they have no voice but ours. Hence, the Institute of Law & Justice was born.
In addition to working with a network of professional attorneys nationwide, the IL&J is fortunate to have attorneys with extensive corporate, Ivy League, and DOJ backgrounds with vast litigation experience. Our lawyers have litigated thousands of cases and over 400 jury trials. Our team is committed to one goal when protecting pro-life advocates -- winning.
Matt serves as the board secretary and general counsel for 40 Days for Life. Matt has had an expansive legal career, including four terms as an elected prosecutor; a county attorney; counsel to many not-for-profits and U.S. companies operating around the world; a major law firm litigator; and general counsel. Matt has written and spoken countless times on a wide range of legal and pro-life issues in locations across the United States as well as England, Japan, Colombia, Mexico, Korea, Singapore, Brazil, China, and locations across the European Union.
Matt graduated from Boston College, and holds a Masters
Degree in Forensic Science from George Washington University and a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
Most importantly, Matt is married to Libby Britton, and they have eight beautiful children and six grandchildren.
Tomislav is based in Frankfurt, Germany, and serves as the Executive Director for International Affairs. Tomislav is a seasoned litigator,
winning multiple pro-life cases in the EU. He has practiced law in Germany since 2008 after studying law in Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands with a focus on international and human rights law. He has handled a wide variety of matters and litigation in both business and pro-life law. Tomislav has served as legal counsel to several German and Croatian pro-life NGOs and pro-life activists. Tomislav is married to the former Colombian national 40 Days for Life leader, Pamela.
Donato J. Borrillo joins the Institute of Law and Justice as assistant general counsel and director of medical legal affairs. He is a practicing physician licensed in Florida, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Indiana, Illinois, Nevada, and South Carolina and an attorney admitted to the bar in Ohio and Michigan. Borrillo is a 1994 graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio, and a 1986 graduate of Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. He is a 1990 graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. He interned at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, IL, and completed residency at Wright State University, Dayton, OH. He is board certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Borrillo has a master of science degree in immunology from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, and a second master of science degree in aerospace medicine, from Wright State University, Dayton, OH. After his medical residency, he practiced as a flight surgeon with the United States Air Force from 1996 through 2001, and he was assigned to the Special Operations Command in Europe and Africa. Borrillo was honorably discharged as a major after nine years of military service and was a visiting scholar at Cambridge University, England, from 1998 -1999, while serving at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England. Prior legal experience includes clerkship with Jacobson, Maynard, Tuschman, and Kalur, LPA, as well as solo practice. He practiced as a partner with Fisher Broyles LLC between 2015 and 2016, before returning in 2017 to Zoll & Kranz where he served Of Counsel since 2009. Borrillo's previous legal practice focused on class action, mass torts, personal injury, wrongful death, occupational injury, and health care law. Borrillo is an active member of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, Ocala, FL, and is he enrolled in his fourth year of Catholic Bible School of Michigan, Jackson, MI. He teaches medical students from the University of Toledo medical school at their community free clinic and provides services to patients at Mision La Guadalupana, Ocala, FL. Borrillo’s previous volunteer experience includes providing care for the terminally ill at Mother Teresa House, Lansing, MI. He deployed with Joyce Meyer Ministries to El Salvador, volunteered with Remote Area Medical, and responded to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with FEMA. Borrillo has spoken at the request of numerous bar associations, continuing medical and legal education seminars, and has over thirty medical publications.
Attorney Artis is originally from Atlanta, GA where he spent the first 18 years of his life. The son of Attorney Gregory D. Artis Sr., Dwight has always had an interest in becoming a trial attorney. After graduating from high school Dwight was accepted to The Citadel which is a historic military college located in Charleston South Carolina.
While attending The Citadel, Dwight thrived and was successful at gaining leadership experiences in the Corps of Cadets as well succeeding in academia earning a B.A. in English Lit. with honors. While at The Citadel, Dwight also felt the urge to serve his country so he decided to join the Army National Guard. While honorably serving in South Carolina Dwight was qualified as a 13 Bravo artillery gunner.
After graduation Dwight attended The University of Wisconsin Law School. During his second year Dwight’s army unit was activated for a deployment. Dwight took a year off of law school and was deployed to Iraq where he proudly served as a member of Delta Company 132nd Red Arrow unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
After returning from war Dwight accepted an internship with the Rock County Public Defender’s office in Southern Wisconsin and became passionate about criminal defense. After moving to Omaha Dwight continues to use his passion for justice aiming to bring affordable legal services to the people of Nebraska.
Melissa has been an attorney for over 20 years. She did her undergraduate work at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington, in 1998.
She began her career as an assistant district attorney in the Collin County District Attorney’s Office. Since then she has worked for a major legal research corporation, as well as in private practice for herself and for a large firm.
April has been practicing law for 20 plus years and has a wide range of experience, including as an elected prosecutor in multiple locations, City Attorney, Certified Mediator, and running her own private practice.
As a prosecutor, she has experience with all aspects of the criminal justice system. She has worked with grand juries, tried dozens of jury trials, and countless other trials.
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