Grebe was a foundational funder of WILL, Esenberg said. But Grebe’s role as funder of the three-year old legal institute has lessened over time, he said. Esenberg estimates Grebe’s foundation will provided only about one-third of WILL’s projected $1.5-$1.7 million in funding for 2014.

At any rate, Esenberg said, he doesn’t consult with Grebe, Walker or anyone else in deciding what cases to take on.

“The notion that we think Act 10 is a good idea because it frees the schools from the restraints of union contracts and gives individual employees the right to decide whether they want to support the activities of the union — that shouldn’t surprise anyone,” Esenberg said.

WILL is not likely to prevail in court, Marquette University Law School professor Paul Secunda told the Wisconsin State Journal. “They negotiated their current contract when the fate of Act 10 was still up in the air,” said Secunda, who also accused Esenberg of “trying to make political points.”

Esenberg contends the contract always was illegal.