PRIORITY: ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

Pioneer Public Interest Law Center (PPILC) defends the economic freedom of all individuals, from workers to entrepreneurs. We aim to protect the right of individuals to work in the profession of their choosing, and the right to start, build, and grow a business. Work and economic risk-taking are fundamental in the right of all individuals to rise and to achieve social mobility, without undue or overly burdensome restrictions from government.

Broad categories of interest to PPILC include:

• Challenging licensing and permitting restrictions, which are often created by existing companies and interests, and sometimes are used to block new market entrants.
• Leveling the playing field for small businesses, which are often subjected to far more burdensome regulations and mandates than are larger corporations, even though they often lack the kinds of legal defense mechanisms that larger corporations can afford.
• Protecting property rights, especially of those who cannot afford a strong legal defense or who are new to the country.

In the near term, we are especially interested in:

• How we can defend the economic freedoms of those who are disadvantaged or new immigrants to the country.
• Industries—like telemedicine, transportation, small businesses, and childcare providers—that have been significantly affected by the pandemic and subsequent government response. For example, the pandemic forced the closure of hundreds of Massachusetts’ private-pay childcare facilities, which provide the majority of childcare in the Commonwealth and are paid for solely by parents. Federal laws aimed to help, but the Commonwealth refused to forward federal funds to private-pay facilities. Given the economic harm, unfairness, and the evident breach of the federal statute, as well as the fact that these providers are not organized, PPILC may consider public interest litigation.