Committed to Justice
Dedicated to Serving
We exist to defend what matters most—faith, family, and freedom. Our team is passionate about standing beside individuals and organizations when their rights are threatened, offering trusted guidance and steadfast advocacy rooted in principle.
Years of Advocacy
Over 20 years defending religious freedom across the nation.
Landmark Victories
Dozens of precedent-setting wins protecting faith, family, and freedom.
Media Publications
Featured in 750+ media publications including national news networks and legal journals.
Our Story
Advocates for Faith and Freedom was founded in 2005 by a group of individuals who are passionate about preserving religious liberty in the legal system. Our Board of Directors consists of a number of successful Christian businesspersons and church leaders, as well as members of the Advocates legal team. With help from our Advisory Board and marketing consultants, our ministry has been able to increase its impact in both the American legal system and the national media.
Since 1995, Robert Tyler has worked in the realm of constitutional law. He labored in both private practices and a large organization, but he developed a vision along the way to begin his own nonprofit legal organization.
Advocates for Faith and Freedom’s purpose from its founding has been to serve as a nonprofit legal ministry dedicated to protecting religious liberty in the courts. This firm subsequently engages in cases that deal with important religious liberty issues that deserve to be heard by our nation. Our attorneys and staff are dedicated to the mission of the organization, regularly teaming up with allied attorneys nationwide to achieve this mission.
Advocates has taken on high profile cases (many of which have gone as far as the U.S. and California Supreme Courts or Federal Appellate Courts) seeking to protect our First Amendment constitutional guarantees, such as freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion. Some examples of these important cases are the following:
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The Scharpen Foundation v. Kamala Harris
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Calvary Chapel Bible Fellowship v. Riverside County
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Farnan vs. Capistrano Valley School District
Advocates is a growing legal organization that is quickly emerging as a leading defender of constitutional liberties. Our strategy is to expand our staff and legal team in order to continue our work in the courts nationwide. Your partnership in protecting religious liberties in the courts is vital and we are grateful to all who have chosen to partner with Advocates.
Where We Stand
We believe that every person deserves the right to live, speak, and worship freely. Our mission is to ensure those rights are not only protected, but upheld for generations to come.
Religious Freedom
The Free Exercise Clause protects religious practice and conscience from government interference. Despite constitutional guarantees, freedoms face growing attacks through censorship, workplace discrimination, and restrictions. Advocates defends your right to live out faith in every sphere of life.
Free Speech
The Free Speech Clause protects expression and conscience, yet faces censorship, coercion, and suppression from government, schools, unions, and Big Tech. Advocates defend this vital freedom, ensuring citizens can speak openly and hold those in power accountable.
Parental Rights
Parental rights are constitutionally protected, yet increasingly undermined by laws excluding parents from critical decisions. Advocates work to preserve parents’ authority to guide their children’s care, education, and values, ensuring families—not governments—remain the primary influence in a child’s life.
Church & State
The First Amendment protects religious freedom by limiting government power, not restricting faith. Misinterpretations of “separation of church and state” have undermined liberty. Our firm exists to defend these founding rights and safeguard religious freedom for all.
Election Integrity
Voting is a sacred right, yet weakened by insecure practices like ballot harvesting and universal vote-by-mail. Advocates call for secure, uniform elections to protect every citizen’s voice and preserve trust in America’s constitutional system.
Religious Land Use
Religious institutions face zoning barriers, but the Constitution and RLUIPA protect them from discrimination, unequal treatment, and burdens on religious exercise. Advocates ensure churches and schools can freely use land without unlawful government interference.
Our Team
Robert Tyler
President and Chief Counsel
Joel Oster
Vice President and Chief of Trial Litigation
Erin Mersino
Vice President and Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation
Julianne Fleischer
Senior Legal Counsel
Bethany Onishenko
Senior Legal Counsel
Sam Kane
Senior Legal Counsel
Nicolai Cocis
of Counsel
Deborah Dewart
of Counsel
Jessica Tapia
Public Relations Advocate
Nicole Velasco
Director of Communications
Susan Kenney
Director of Operations
Shelly Padilla
Paralegal
Current Cases
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Targeted for Speaking Truth: Brave Female Student Athletes Challenge Woke Policies
Two female high school athletes take a stand for fair competition in girls’ sports and free speech rights, challenging policies that undermine biological standards and restrict expression.
Church Rejected for Being A Church
In November 2022, lease talks between The Pines Church and the Hermon School Committee collapsed after the Committee asked irrelevant and unequal questions about the church’s religious beliefs, which the church alleges violated state law and the First Amendment.