Josh Hetzler, Esq.

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Josh Hetzler serves as Legal Counsel for the Founding Freedoms Law Center. He works alongside staff and other attorney allies in coordinating litigation strategies, drafting legal advisory memos, and helping Virginians to effectively navigate the ever-evolving laws, directives, and court opinions impacting their fundamental freedoms. Josh also serves as Legislative Counsel for The Family Foundation, where he has been since 2015. In that role, Josh is actively engaged in public policy development, where he regularly interacts with and advises state and local government officials and frequently addresses various boards, commissions, and legislative committees. He has served on numerous expert panels, including at Family Research Council, the Values Voter Summit, as well as several Virginia universities and law schools. He also often speaks to civic groups and churches on matters of legislative and legal interest.

Josh also oversees The Family Foundation’s EQUIP Summer Worldview Program, an 8-week program for college and high school students, designed to challenge, equip, and strengthen young people with a Biblical Christian worldview.

Josh’s area of greatest interest is defending religious freedom. As James Madison providentially wrote into Virginia’s Constitution, “religion” is “the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it.” Such duties take precedence over all others, and civil governments exist to protect the free exercise of our God-given rights and duties.

Before joining TFF, Josh taught government courses as an adjunct professor. He and his family are actively involved in their church, where he serves as a deacon and a teacher. He is a native and resident of Chesterfield County, VA.

  • Licensed Virginia Attorney (2015-present)

  • J.D., Liberty University School of Law (2015)

  • B.S. in Government: Politics and Policy, Liberty University (2012)

    • Recipient of the 2012 Jesse Helms Outstanding Student Achievement Award

  • Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, CLP Class of 2010