Impact at CLIPI
Rushforth co-founded CLIPI in 1971 alongside Carlyle Hall, John Phillips, and Ric Sutherland. During his tenure at CLIPI, Rushforth was involved in significant environmental and civil rights litigation, including efforts on behalf of the Sierra Club and the NAACP to halt the construction of the Century Freeway through South-Central Los Angeles—a case that laid the groundwork for environmental justice litigation throughout America. At CLIPI, Rushforth also headed the Northrop litigation that gave rise to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
After his time at CLIPI, Rushforth served as Deputy General Counsel for the Department of Defense during the Carter administration. He then transitioned into private practice and has since built a distinguished legal career. He is currently a principal at McKool Smith in Washington, D.C., specializing in antitrust litigation and representing clients such as VISA, MCI, Cox Communications, Black & Decker, Marriott Corporation, and the American Booksellers Association. Additionally, he has been involved in high-profile pro bono work, including representing Guantanamo detainees.
