Scientific integrity is a core value in scientific research, and government agencies, universities, private companies, and other institutions have implemented scientific integrity policies to protect integrity in the scientific process. While these policies can be vague, offer limited recourse, and be difficult to use, filing a complaint under scientific integrity policies is often a scientist’s best—or only—option for legal remedy when scientific integrity violations occur. Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) attorneys and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) will discuss important factors scientists should know when faced with a potential scientific integrity issue, including what can be considered a violation of scientific integrity, how best to file a complaint under institutional scientific integrity policies, potential pitfalls when filing a complaint, and other relevant legal issues such as the application of whistleblower protections.