Scientists attending AGU25 can meet with CSLDF attorneys for free, 30-minute, one-on-one legal consultations. Join us to discuss issues such as First Amendment matters, employment concerns, strategies for safeguarding online communications from adverse interests, or any other legal questions or concerns.
2025 Year in Review
2025 was challenging in many ways—some we expected and others we could never have anticipated.
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.
2025 Impact Report
We are fighting back against the flood of anti-climate and anti-science actions.
Climate Litigation Toolkit
Our free legal resources explain the best practices for safely and effectively engaging in climate litigation and other scientific consulting work.
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
What could go wrong? In Trump’s second term, he has intensified attacks on science by bringing extreme ideologues into the…
As the government shutdown begins, federal scientists are surely wondering how it will affect their work and employment. Typically, a…
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 The scrappy attempt to save US climate dataJanuary 8, 2026 Politico
As the Trump administration deletes and alters critical data, scientists are pushing back. Chris Marchesano, CSLDF attorney, pointed to a fact-check created by more than 80 scientists that challenged an Energy Department report filled with inaccuracies about climate change.
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Press | News All the climate info that disappeared under Trump. And how it’s being saved.January 8, 2026 E&E News | Politico
As Trump continues his war on science, “I think it’s critically important that academics and scholars are sort of stepping up to fight back against misinformation,” said Chris Marchesano, CSLDF attorney. “It has important legal implications.”
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News 2025: Our Year in ReviewDecember 23, 2025 Dana Willbanks
2025 was challenging in many ways—some we expected and others we could never have anticipated. To meet the many challenges,…
Take a Stand for Science
Your support helps us fight for scientists and defend scientific integrity.