HARRISBURG, Pa. – A three-judge panel of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled on September 5, 2024 that Butler County had no legal basis to disqualify the provisional ballots of two mail voters who forgot to include the secrecy envelope with their ballot return packets in the 2024 primary election. In a 2-1 decision, the court […]

This decision has strengthened the right to vote in Pennsylvania. Mail ballots will no longer be rejected because of a meaningless requirement to fill out a date that isn’t used for anything. As the birthplace of modern democracy, Pennsylvania has a long tradition of free and equal elections, and today’s decision adds to that legacy.

Read more about how the Law Center’s pro bono partners have helped advance civil, social, and economic rights for marginalized communities in our 2023-24 Pro Bono report, featuring interviews with attorneys advocating for gun safety, strong public schools, and the preservation of valued community institutions. A letter from our executive director Brent Landau Dear Supporter, Before […]

May 31, 2024 – It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Gillian R. Gilhool’s passing. Gillian, though not formally affiliated with the Law Center, was an integral part of our family as the wife of our esteemed former co-director, Thomas Gilhool. Her journey as a 1964 Yale Law School graduate led […]

Members of our Board of Directors sent a letter to Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey on March 25, 2024, urging him publicly support the nomination of Adeel Mangi to the United State Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and denounce the disinformation campaign against him.

Brent Landau will lead the 55-year-old civil rights law firm, known for groundbreaking legal victories in the fight against discrimination and poverty.

Housing is fundamental. Without it, securing other essential resources—like a high-quality public education, access to quality healthcare, and employment that pays a living wage—is an uphill battle. At the Public Interest Law Center, we strengthen existing laws and forge paths for Philadelphians to secure affordable and safe housing. Philadelphia has an affordable housing crisis. More […]

This is the second entry in our occasional series, “Board Members Speak Out,” collecting stories and testimonials from members of our board of directors about why our work matters to them. Charles Lange, an associate attorney with Faegre Drinker, joined the Law Center’s board of directors in 2022. October 27, 2023 – I joined the […]

October 17, 2023 – A central value of the Public Interest Law Center is respect for the humanity of all, no matter what you look like, who you worship, who you love, or where you were born. In that vein, the Law Center condemns the abhorrent targeted killings in the terrorist attacks carried out by […]

September 20, 2023 – All of us at the Public Interest Law Center were sad to learn of the passing of JoAnne Epps, President of Temple University, yesterday afternoon. Epps was a pillar of Philadelphia’s legal community, its cornerstone public university, and the city as a whole. She served for several years as a member […]