Restoring Democracy in Wisconsin Jeff Mandell Wisconsin was the leading progressive state for a century until the 2010 election of Scott Walker, GOP majorities in both houses of the legislature and the most gerrymandered districts in the county. A three-judge federal panel, with two judges appointed by Republican presidents, ruled our legislative districts to be unconstitutional. Law Forward is a non-profit, non-partisan, impact litigation firm focused on advancing and protecting democracy in Wisconsin. Off the Cuff spoke with Law Forwardâs founder Jeff Mandell. A graduate of the University of Chicago law school, Mandell moved to Madison with his wife in 2015 because it âwas a place where we could raise our kids that reflected our values.â