This guide covers specific types of potential risks related to serving as an expert witness and other consulting work, including legal issues, monetary concerns, and conflicts of interest.
2024 Year in Review
During this truly extraordinary year, we have been busier than ever.
Protecting the Scientific Endeavor
Science Under Siege
The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund has fought for the scientific endeavor since 2011. Our initiatives ensure that scientists can conduct, publish, and discuss their research and advocate for science without the threat of political harassment, censorship, or legal intimidation.
Climate Litigation Toolkit
Our free legal resources explain the best practices for safely and effectively engaging in climate litigation and other scientific consulting work.

Our Year in Review
2024 was quite a year. Learn what your generous support made possible.
Updated Report: Open Records Laws
These laws, while critical to government transparency, are frequently misused by groups seeking to harass scientists and slow or halt the scientific endeavor. This report can help scientists and attorneys respond to such inquiries.
Political Action Toolkit
Our free legal resources explain the best practices for safely and effectively engaging in political advocacy.
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Our Work
We provide free legal aid and resources to researchers, educate the scientific community about their rights and responsibilities, and strengthen legal protections to promote scientific integrity.
Silencing Science Tracker
The Silencing Science Tracker is a public database that tracks government efforts to restrict, censor, undermine, and misrepresent science since the November 2016 election. To date, we have documented more than 600 attacks on science. We catalog government efforts to restrict, censor, undermine, and misrepresent science.
Safeguarding Scientific Integrity
We promote scientific integrity reforms to ensure the best available research and data inform government decision-making. And we publish resources to advance understanding of how research institutions and federal agencies approach scientific integrity — and how to strengthen legal protections for science and scientists.
Latest Resources and Activities
A Pocket Guide for Scientists: Creating an LLC and Other Legal Strategies for Consulting or Expert Witness Work
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A Guide to Open Records Laws and Protections for Research Materials
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Open records laws are valuable tools for government transparency, enabling the public to seek documents related to state and federally…
A Pocket Guide for Scientists: Handling Political Harassment and Legal Intimidation
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Scientists must be prepared for politically-motivated attacks. We produced this guide to educate scientists about the legal risks they may face.
Scientists: Know Your Rights
The legal risks for any individual scientist are small, but there are actions you can take to protect and defend yourself, especially if you’re involved in scientific advocacy and activism.
Our Expertise in the News
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Press | News SLAPP’edJune 27, 2025 Inquisitive
Scientists like me are not trained in legal warfare. So when the notice arrived that I was being sued for defamation, it just did not compute.
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News | Monthly Update June update: What democracy looks likeJune 26, 2025 CSLDF
This is what democracy looks like After five months of chaos and destruction at the hands of a recklessly anti-science,…
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Press | News Fighting for the FutureJune 10, 2025 Bryn Mawr Alumnae Bulletin
“Every administration has its anti-science moments,” says Lauren Kurtz, CSLDF Executive Director. “Some are worse than others.”
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Your support helps us fight for scientists and defend scientific integrity.