For Jordan Sekulow<\/a>, the fight to ensure freedom and liberty in the U.S. and around the world has been a central part of his life from a very early age.\u00a0 The son of Jay Sekulow<\/a>, Jordan, 29, now serves as Executive Director of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ)<\/a>, a leading international public interest law firm founded in 1990 and led by his father.<\/p>\n \u201cMy work with my dad has developed naturally over the years,\u201d says Jordan.\u00a0 \u201cOn radio, I started co-hosting with him, and then filling in as host\u2026 between the two of us, the program can almost always be live.\u201d\u00a0 Today, Jordan oversees the ACLJ\u2019s international operations, hosts the Jordan Sekulow Show<\/em>, and co-hosts the Jay Sekulow Live!<\/em> radio program and the ACLJ This Week<\/em> television broadcast with his father.\u00a0 He frequently travels overseas to engage in high-level legal and policy discussions with government officials and also provides national political analysis for U.S. media outlets.<\/p>\n Jordan emphasizes that the growth and development of ACLJ demonstrate the degree to which his family has been engaged in building up the ministry over the years.\u00a0 \u201cEver since I was a young kid, our family has been deeply and personally involved with the organization,\u201d he recalls.\u00a0 \u201cAt home at the kitchen table, we would sit around together and open the mail that came in\u2026 I still remember how my mom would go through the letters and donations that people sent; she wrote the organization\u2019s newsletters by hand\u2026 yes, that was her handwriting. I thank God for our shared sense of purpose, and for the opportunity we have to dedicate ourselves to this work\u2026 ACLJ is a major part of our family dynamic, not the kind of work that you leave at the office. \u00a0We live it to this day, every day.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, Jordan\u2019s leadership at ACLJ was not inevitable.\u00a0 \u201cMy dad wanted us to take advantage of each opportunity and experience things that he was not able to growing up,\u201d said Jordan.\u00a0 So when he finished college, he got involved in politics and pursued other interests which included grassroots campaigning.\u00a0 \u201cMy background is different from my dad\u2019s \u2013 more political \u2013 and I\u2019m grateful he gave me the ability to explore other things,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Midway through law school, Jordan knew he wanted to continue the work of the ACLJ.\u00a0 \u201cI was never pressured into doing this, but I gradually became interested,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI know my relationship with my dad is unique, and I\u2019m very blessed to have this opportunity to work with him.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jordan and his dad agree that it was a natural fit for him to get involved with the organization.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve never had a fear of public speaking, because I\u2019ve been exposed to it all my life,\u201d says Jordan. \u201cI always thought the cameras and a crowd was the norm.\u201d Jordan says that most importantly, he cares about the issues just as much as my dad.\u00a0 \u201cFrom a young age, he instilled in me the importance of what was at stake, and the power of a single person standing up when they were wronged. My dad was the lawyer ready to help them when they took that stand.\u201d he says.\u00a0 \u201cMy dad took my brother Logan and me to as many of his activities as possible\u2026 and as he became more well-known, we met more influential people.\u201d\u00a0 These hands-on experiences are what Jordan credits with the confidence he has today, making him comfortable leading meetings with high-ranking government officials \u2013 such as his recent visit with the Vice President of Brazil.\u00a0 \u201cWhile I enjoy taking on more leadership responsibilities, I\u2019m also more than happy to take a back seat to my dad whenever we are together,\u201d said Jordan. \u201cMany opportunities we have are in places and with people neither of us would imagine\u2026 I keep learning from my dad and plan to for years to come, as I want to be as effective as possible in my role.\u201d\u00a0 Jordan\u2019s brother Logan, 26, is also involved with ACLJ and helps direct their media and production initiatives.<\/p>\n Jay and Jordan Sekulow\u2019s valuable working relationship is evident in their work, whether on the radio or on the road. \u00a0\u201cIt helps that my dad and I don\u2019t have competing interests, but rather complementary ones, as this enables ACLJ to get involved in more issues,\u201d said Jordan.\u00a0 \u201cWe are constantly expanding our efforts, and our supporters appreciate that.\u201d\u00a0 Jordan says that he and his dad stay in constant contact, keeping track of each others\u2019 schedules and exchanging updates frequently.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t have to be face-to-face to work together\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cEven on the radio program, where things are live and totally unscripted, we can anticipate where the other person is going and complete each other\u2019s sentences.\u00a0 Often people cannot tell if it is me or my dad talking, and that\u2019s a testament to him and the example he has set for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Jordan admits that his position does not come without complications.\u00a0 \u201cA challenge, one often self-induced, is living up to expectations,\u201d said Jordan. \u201cNot my dad\u2019s expectations, but our supporters\u2019 and my own. Dad sets quite a high bar \u2013 one that keeps getting higher \u2013 but I keep reminding myself that this isn\u2019t a competition.\u201d\u00a0 There are also times of disagreement. \u201cWe sometimes have different ideas on how to approach a particular situation, so we try to talk it through and we genuinely respect each other\u2019s perspective.\u201d\u00a0 Jordan is grateful that his dad encourages him to get outside the comfort zone. \u201cWhether it is meeting with the President of South Sudan in Juba on three days notice or preparing to debate a complicated legal issue on TV, he gives me the encouragement and support I need to stay confident.\u201d \u00a0No matter what challenges arise, Jordan notes that, \u201cAt the end of the day, he\u2019s still my dad, and we try not to let professional issues interfere or overshadow our relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n Jordan helps the ACLJ sort through the many opportunities and interesting-sounding endeavors to determine if and how to get involved.\u00a0 \u201cWhile we deal primarily with issues of constitutional law in the U.S., much of our work abroad includes situations where people\u2019s lives are at risk and we must decide how best to help,\u201d said Jordan.\u00a0 \u201cMy dad has allowed me to go through the process and be a decision-maker in these situations, and through that I have grown personally.\u00a0 He is always there as a guide and resource and we work effectively together, constantly trying to maintain a balance of allowing each person to develop.\u00a0 My dad has a long career ahead of him and I\u2019m just getting started. \u00a0I know that without the role he has played in my life, I\u2019d never be doing what I do today.\u201d Reflecting on their personal and professional trajectory, Jordan says, \u201cWe\u2019ve been able to utilize our father-son relationship to expand and fulfill ACLJ\u2019s mission.\u201d<\/p>\n As we approach Father\u2019s Day, I asked Jordan five questions about his relationship with his father: <\/span><\/p>\n RM:\u00a0 What is the most important lesson you have learned from your dad? <\/strong><\/p>\n JS:\u00a0 I have learned so much from my dad.\u00a0 I grew up watching him prepare for court cases and interviews, and he involved us in the ACLJ from a very young age.\u00a0\u00a0 Perhaps the biggest thing I\u2019ve learned from my dad is how to be prepared at all times\u2026 whether it\u2019s for a big court case or a hostile media interview.\u00a0 My dad always says \u201cStick to your points, focus on what you are there to get across, and try not to get sidetracked.\u201d We are often trying to communicate complicated legal cases or explain laws, and it\u2019s important to keep going to back to the 3 core points you want people to take away \u2013 from interviews, from our radio shows, from meetings, and from court.<\/p>\n RM:\u00a0 What is one thing you think people would be surprised to learn about your dad? <\/strong><\/p>\n JS: \u00a0I think people would be surprised to learn that my dad did not plan on doing this his whole life.\u00a0 He did not grow up in the legal or political world. He worked hard as a kid, worked in retail through college \u2013 like his father \u2013 and made it to law school. He started his career as a tax attorney. He followed God, took an opportunity presented to him \u2013 an offer to argue a case at the U.S. Supreme Court \u2013 and learned the process of practicing constitutional law along the way.\u00a0 My dad argued his first Supreme Court case in 1987, Board of Airport Commissioners v. Jews for Jesus<\/em>, and a news reporter described his oral argument style as \u201crude, aggressive and obnoxious.\u201d\u00a0 But he won that case 9-0, and it was a big victory for free speech and religious liberty.\u00a0 That experience opened his eyes to what was happening to our country in the courts, and he grew tremendously as a result.\u00a0 From that point forward, cases started flooding in and he has stayed busy ever since\u2026 a powerful example of following and trusting God!<\/p>\n RM:\u00a0 Your dad seems so intense on television and radio.\u00a0 Can you share any fun anecdotes that shed light on his personality? <\/strong><\/p>\n My dad is very funny and he tries to keep things light.\u00a0 Everything we work on at ACLJ is serious\u2026 we are constantly dealing with tough issues and significant cases, so people think my dad must be in a suit all the time, always focused on work with the same intensity they see or hear in the media. While he is intense about work and can sometimes be intimidating, he knows how to make people feel comfortable.\u00a0 My dad has taught us that it\u2019s important to keep things perspective\u2026 you must work hard and get everything done on time, but you can\u2019t always go around with the same intensity that you have on television or radio.\u00a0 A fun example is that my dad enjoys sports and adventures\u2026 I\u2019ve learned to play tennis from him, and we enjoy playing golf together.\u00a0 This is humorous, especially since everyone in our family loves to talk:\u00a0 one thing only the three of us do \u2013 my dad, my brother Logan, and me \u2013 is scuba diving.\u00a0 Just imagine \u2013 we\u2019re out on a boat talking the whole time on the ride out to the dive site, and then for two periods of 45 minutes each dive, we aren\u2019t able to talk \u2013 something none of us are used to!\u00a0 Quickly after coming up from the dive \u2013 with our heads bobbing in the water \u2013 the talking starts up again. My dad is the only person I know that can be on a conference call, turn the speakerphone on, put the BlackBerry down beside him, tee up and smash a drive in to the fairway, all while continuing the conversation. It amazes me and everyone else who has a chance to play a round of golf with him!<\/p>\n RM:\u00a0 Any memorable reactions from encounters when people have realized you are Jay Sekulow\u2019s son? <\/strong><\/p>\n JS:\u00a0 I often represent my dad and the ACLJ at meetings and events, and what people appreciate most is the hard work he does behind the scenes and the way he has personally reached out and helped them.\u00a0 People often tell me, \u201cYour dad is the hardest working person I know.\u201d Our job is to help and it really is astonishing to me to see the amount of people he has assisted during his career. He\u2019s grateful to help because we\u2019ve been blessed with the ability and resources to do so.\u00a0 The amount of work my dad does that people don\u2019t see is amazing \u2013 he is often working on 15-16 issues at a time, and the fight for free speech and religious liberty is very personal to him. My dad\u2019s grandfather came to America as a child \u2013 a Jewish immigrant from Russia fleeing religious persecution. Now, his grandson has opened an office in Russia to defend religious freedom rights and his great-grandson is overseeing the work there.<\/p>\n RM:\u00a0 Any encouragement or advice you can offer fathers and sons as we approach Father\u2019s Day? <\/strong><\/p>\n JS:\u00a0 For me, there is nothing better than being able to work with my dad every day.\u00a0 But, I know that isn\u2019t God\u2019s plan for everyone.\u00a0 Fathers, trust God and be a great example for your sons.\u00a0 Even if I didn\u2019t work with my dad, the example he set in his personal and public life \u2013 as my dad and as a husband, a brother, and a son \u2013 is a major part of the reason I am who I am today.\u00a0 Inspire them, encourage them, and guide them.\u00a0 Do everything you can to instill the right values and a strong faith that can carry them through even the toughest times.<\/p>\n Sons, appreciate what you can learn from your dad every day, in personal life and in the career world.\u00a0 Be thankful that you have a loving father, trust God, and always be open to the advice of your dad \u2013 even if you think he doesn\u2019t understand you, most likely he does.\u00a0 He\u2019s experienced the same sort of situations and a whole lot more. Listen carefully, as there is a lot of wisdom being offered to you.\u00a0 Most importantly, love each other!<\/p>\n A version of this column was featured in the Christian Post. Check out the rest of our Father\u2019s Day series on the Faith & Family Channel: <\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n Life With Father: A Conversation With Nathan Zacharias<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/a>From Resistance to Respect: A Conversation With Jonathan Youssef<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Growing Up Junior: A Conversation With George Hiller, Jr.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
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