Fundacja Wolne Sądy

What Fundacja Wolne Sądy does

Fundacja Wolne Sądy is a Warsaw-based, independent non-profit foundation established in 2020 to defend judicial independence and the rule of law in Poland. It is the institutional successor to the informal #WolneSądy civic initiative created in July 2017 by four practicing lawyers — Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram, Maria Ejchart-Dubois, Paulina Kieszkowska, and Michał Wawrykiewicz — during protests against judicial reforms. The foundation operates with eight employees and a distributed team of co-founders who maintain their primary practices at Clifford Chance, in pharmaceutical law, at the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, and (since June 2024) in the European Parliament.

Its core activities fall into two pillars. First, pro bono strategic litigation: through the Komitet Obrony Sprawiedliwości (KOS) coalition, foundation lawyers represent Polish judges, prosecutors, and other affected individuals in over 100 cases before domestic courts, the Court of Justice of the EU, and the European Court of Human Rights, including landmark rulings on Supreme Court disciplinary matters, judicial immunity (Judge Igor Tuleya), neo-KRS appointments, the Pegasus spyware case, and Belarus-border pushbacks. Second, civic education and public communication: the foundation publishes short educational videos (approximately 1,000 materials to date, reaching millions of viewers), the "Na prawo patrz" podcast, a quarterly bilingual newsletter, research reports ("3000 Days of Lawlessness", "Rule of Law Business" with the ABA), and educational products for schools including the "Uczymy się Europy" textbook, the Europejska Liga Sądowa moot court, the "Śladami praw człowieka" city game, and the "Europa, czyli KTO?" art competition.

The business model is non-commercial. Revenue is generated through individual donations (via wspieraj.wolnesady.org) and international grants — most prominently NED funding for the "Protecting Free Courts in Europe" project that underwrites the international "Justice under attack – Lessons from Poland" seminar series in Amsterdam and Bratislava. All outputs — legal representation, publications, podcasts, videos, and educational materials — are provided free of charge. Distribution is community-led, relying on organic social (Facebook with ~80,000 followers, YouTube), podcast platforms, mainstream Polish media appearances (TVN24, Wyborcza, TOK FM, OKO.press), and direct engagement with EU institutions. The organization was awarded the 2020 European Citizens' Prize by the European Parliament.

Name

Fundacja Wolne Sądy

Legal name

Fundacja Wolne Sądy

Website

https://wolnesady.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fundacja Wolne Sądy is a Warsaw-based non-profit foundation that provides pro bono legal representation for repressed Polish judges and produces civic education on judicial independence, rule of law, and EU citizenship through podcasts, videos, publications, and school programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Advocacy and Civic Education

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Justice Reform & Legal System Advocacy (BPAGAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Rule of law advocacy
• Judicial independence
• Civic education
• Legal representation
• Human rights

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and supporter contributions: The foundation relies on donations from supporters and citizens. A dedicated donation page (wspieraj.wolnesady.org) is referenced on the website.
2. International grants and project funding: The foundation receives support from international organizations for its rule-of-law advocacy and educational projects. The 'Protecting Free Courts in Europe' project is supported by NED (National Endowment for Democracy).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fundacja Wolne Sądy is a Polish nonprofit foundation that provides pro bono legal representation for judges and prosecutors subjected to politically motivated disciplinary actions before domestic and international courts, including the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of Human Rights. It produces civic education content on rule of law, democracy, and judicial independence through short social media videos, a podcast, reports, newsletters, and educational programs for schools. The foundation also organizes international seminars and moot court competitions under its 'Justice under attack – Lessons from Poland' project.

Product overview

Fundacja Wolne Sądy is a civil society organization (foundation) focused on protecting rule of law and judicial independence in Poland, established in July 2017. The organization offers a portfolio of educational products and services including the podcast "Na prawo patrz," educational games ("Gra miejska Śladami praw człowieka"), the Europejska Liga Sądowa moot court competition, art competitions ("Europa, czyli KTO?"), educational textbooks ("Uczymy się Europy"), lesson scenario materials ("Wybory, czyli pierwsza lekcja demokracji", "ABC Demokracji"), research reports, newsletters, and video content. The products serve to educate Polish citizens about democracy, human rights, and the functioning of the justice system while documenting and reporting on rule of law violations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Podcast "Na prawo patrz" A podcast series discussing rule of law, democracy, and legal issues in Poland, featuring lawyers and cultural figures, available free of charge on major podcast platforms.
• Gra miejska "Śladami praw człowieka" An educational city game for youth to learn about human rights and their protection mechanisms in Poland, available both as an in-person Warsaw game and as a stationary school competition.
• Europejska Liga Sądowa An educational project for secondary school students featuring mock trials before the European Court of Human Rights (moot court), structured in three stages culminating in finals in Gdańsk.
• Konkurs "Europa, czyli KTO?" An art competition organized for the 20th anniversary of Poland's EU accession and 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe, with categories for primary schools, secondary schools, and professional artists.
• Podręcznik edukacyjny "Uczymy się Europy" An educational textbook with lesson scenarios about the European Union for teachers, prepared for the 20th anniversary of Poland's EU accession.
• "ABC Demokracji" An educational publication for teachers covering the fundamentals of democracy.
• "Justice under attack – Lessons from Poland" International seminar series organized in European cities (Amsterdam, Bratislava) as part of the 'Protecting Free Courts in Europe' project, aimed at lawyers, judges, human rights activists, and students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 court cases handled for judges and prosecutors before national and international tribunals, including multiple landmark rulings.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung WarsawmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA German political foundation affiliated with the German Green Party, listed among Wolne Sądy's partners on the website.
• Free Warsaw (Wolna Gospodarka / wolnagospodarka.pl)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among Wolne Sądy's partner organizations on the foundation's website.
• Free Democrats (FDP, Partia Wolnych Demokratów, fdp.org.pl)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish political party listed among Wolne Sądy's partner organizations.
• Komitet Obrony Demokracji (KOD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWolne Sądy is a co-founder of the Komitet Obrony Sprawiedliwości (KOS / Justice Defense Committee), which includes KOD, Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka, Krakowski Instytut Prawa Karnego, and Stowarzyszenie im. Prof. Zbigniewa Hołdy, and over 60 academics from across Europe. KOS coordinates legal representation for repressed judges and advocates for rule of law before EU institutions.
• Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka (Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPoland's largest human rights NGO, co-founder of Komitet Obrony Sprawiedliwości KOS. Maria Ejchart-Dubois has been associated with the organization for over 20 years.
• Stowarzyszenie im. Prof. Zbigniewa HołdycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA legal NGO whose board is chaired by Maria Ejchart-Dubois since 2015. Co-founder of the Justice Defense Committee (KOS) alongside Wolne Sądy.
• Krakowski Instytut Prawa Karnego (Kraków Institute of Criminal Law)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of the Justice Defense Committee (KOS), working alongside Wolne Sądy in defending judicial independence.
• American Bar Association (ABA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWolne Sądy co-published the 'Rule of Law Business' report with the American Bar Association, examining the impact of rule-of-law violations on the business environment in Poland.
• Our Rule of Law FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'Justice under attack – Lessons from Poland' international seminar series. The project aims to share lessons from the Polish rule-of-law crisis with European audiences.
• aditus Foundation (Malta)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the #ROLL (Rule of Law for Lawyers) workshops series alongside Wolne Sądy, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Human Rights Forum, and with support from the Romanian Institute for Human Rights.
• International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the #ROLL workshops series on judicial independence alongside Wolne Sądy.
• Human Rights in Practice (Helen Duffy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert partner in the #ROLL workshops series organized by Wolne Sądy and partner organizations.
• VIA IURIS (Slovakia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovak legal NGO that co-hosted the Bratislava edition of the 'Justice under attack – Lessons from Poland' seminar series alongside Wolne Sądy.
• Amsterdam Law Hub (Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the Amsterdam edition of the 'Justice under attack – Lessons from Poland' seminar series.
• Goethe-Institut (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the Bratislava edition of the 'Justice under attack – Lessons from Poland' seminar series.
• Stowarzyszenie Adwokackie Defensor IurismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish bar association of defense lawyers, co-founder of the Justice Defense Committee (KOS) and co-signatory of joint open letters and advocacy documents with Wolne Sądy.
• Stowarzyszenie Sędziów Polskich 'Iustitia'majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Polish judges' association, co-signatory of joint advocacy statements and part of the broader civil society coalition working with Wolne Sądy on rule-of-law issues.
• Venice Commission (European Commission for Democracy through Law)majorOthersWolne Sądy published and promoted the Venice Commission's opinions on neo-judges status and prosecutor's office reforms in Poland, featuring them prominently on their website as key expert guidance for restoring rule of law.
• Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego (Stefan Batory Foundation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA major Polish grant-making foundation and civic society organization. Wolne Sądy participates in the Civic Legislation Forum (Obywatelskie Forum Legislacji) at the Batorego Foundation and co-signs open letters on rule-of-law issues with this partner.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stowarzyszenie Sędziów Polskich 'Iustitia': Major Polish judges' association and Wolne Sądy partner on rule-of-law advocacy. Directly comparable as a domestic voice for judicial independence, though focused on judges as members rather than civil-society litigation.
• Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka (Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights): Poland's largest human-rights NGO and a co-founder with Wolne Sądy of the KOS Justice Defense Committee. Operates in the same rule-of-law and judicial-independence space and is one of Wolne Sądy's closest strategic partners.
• Komitet Obrony Demokracji (KOD): Polish civic-protest movement defending democratic institutions and the rule of law; co-founding member of KOS alongside Wolne Sądy. Similar mobilisation-driven advocacy model.
• Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego (Stefan Batory Foundation): Major Polish grant-making and civil-society foundation that hosts the Obywatelskie Forum Legislacji and co-signs advocacy with Wolne Sądy. Comparable mission of supporting democracy and rule-of-law reform in Poland.
• Open Dialogue Foundation: Polish-founded international civil-society organisation that defends democracy and the rule of law in post-Soviet and Central European countries. Similar NGO profile, advocacy toolkit, and international donor mix.

Regional players

• VIA IURIS: Slovak legal NGO that co-hosted the Bratislava edition of the 'Justice under attack — Lessons from Poland' series. Direct peer in rule-of-law advocacy within the V4 region.
• Aditus Foundation: Maltese human-rights NGO that co-organises the #ROLL workshops on judicial independence with Wolne Sądy. Comparable niche focus on rule-of-law and fundamental rights in the EU, but operating from a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• International Commission of Jurists (ICJ): International organisation of jurists that defends judicial independence and rule of law, and co-organises Wolne Sądy's #ROLL workshops. Overlaps in mission and constituency (judges, lawyers, rights defenders).
• ARTICLE 19: International human-rights organisation focused on freedom of expression and rule of law. Comparable in combining strategic litigation at European courts with broad civic-education content production.
• Amnesty International Polska: Polish branch of a global human-rights organisation that conducts parallel rule-of-law and judicial-independence advocacy, drawing on substantially larger resources and international reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8w81UA3U6IBAzwpPoPpJxw
• Facebookfacebook.com/wolnesady
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundacja-wolne-s%C4%85dy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundacja Wolne Sądy