June 2025 Newsletter
The need for courageous and principled legal representation has never been greater. As the attacks on faith, family, and freedom intensify, Advocates for Faith & Freedom is experiencing unprecedented growth in litigation opportunities. From defending public prayer and protecting worship, to preserving girls’ sports, upholding parental rights, and ensuring election integrity, we are taking bold legal action to defend the freedoms that matter most. And now, thanks to the prayers and generosity of faithful supporters like you, we are expanding our ranks with two powerhouse attorneys whose careers reflect both elite legal credentials and an unwavering commitment to our mission: defending religious liberty and constitutional freedoms.
Erin Mersino, Vice President & Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation Erin Mersino brings a wealth of experience to our team, having litigated and won major constitutional cases in the highest courts across the country, including the United States Supreme Court and nearly every federal circuit. Her legal work has tackled some of the most consequential issues of our time: the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, the limits of federal mandates under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and the outer boundaries of First Amendment protections.
She obtained one of the first injunctions in the nation against the Obama Administration’s HHS Mandate and recently secured a significant trial victory in federal court in Austin, Texas. Erin has argued before 17 judges of the Sixth Circuit sitting en banc and even persuaded Judge Frank Easterbrook, one of the most formidable federal appellate judges, to reverse course mid-argument and rule in her client’s favor. Her clients have included high-profile Christian and Catholic leaders like Tom Monaghan and Bill Donohue of the Catholic League.
A former criminal prosecutor, Erin is known not only for her legal prowess but for her compassion and ability to lift the spirits of those she serves. She is a nationally published writer and frequent media contributor, having contributed to Fox News, NPR, USA Today, and more. Erin and her husband are raising five boys, including a youngest son with Down syndrome, who inspired the founding of a nonprofit to help schools serve children of all abilities. Erin embodies what it means to be a Defender of the Faith, a title formally given to her by Legatus in 2013.
Joel Oster, Vice President & Chief of Trial Litigation Joel Oster is a veteran litigator, respected ethics expert, national speaker, and the host of the legal podcast DeBriefing the Law. Joel’s courtroom resume spans decades and includes U.S. Supreme Court experience. Most notably, Joel served as lead counsel in Town of Greece v. Galloway, the landmark case that upheld the constitutionality of opening government meetings with prayer, arguing the case before the Western District of New York and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and being on the team that presented the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In addition, he was lead counsel in Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer, another case that resulted in a Supreme Court victory that secured critical religious liberty protections for faith-based organizations seeking public grants. Joel speaks across the nation on attorney ethics and the intersection of law and faith, equipping attorneys to live out their calling with integrity and impact. He is licensed in Kansas, Missouri, Florida, and numerous federal courts, and his insight into complex constitutional litigation will be instrumental as we confront growing hostility to religious expression, especially in public education and state institutions.
This Is A Defining Moment: These two legal warriors are an answer to prayer—and a bold step forward in our mission. We’re growing our team because the need is growing. And we are saying “yes” to more cases, more courtroom battles, and—by God’s grace—more victories.
None of this is possible without YOU. Your faithful support equips us to stand in the gap when liberty is under fire. We are confident that the addition of these outstanding attorneys will significantly strengthen our ability to confront the legal battles ahead. Their expertise, leadership, and shared commitment to biblical values will be a blessing not only to our team, but to the countless families, churches, and ministries we serve nationwide.
From coast to coast, families are facing threats to their freedoms, and they are turning to us for help. But with every new door God opens, the need for resources grows.
Will you stand with us in this defining moment? We humbly ask for your continued prayers—for wisdom, protection, and favor in every case. And if you are able, would you also consider making a generous gift to support this expanding work?
Together, with God’s help, we will continue defend truth, preserve freedom, and secure a future where faith can flourish.
In His Service,
Robert Tyler President and General Counsel
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…
Romans 12:4-6