First Amendment Clinic

Students in this clinic gain real-life lawyering experience by providing legal assistance to organizations, students, journalists, and citizens defending and advancing First Amendment protection of freedom of speech, press, and assembly. The clinic focuses primarily on local and regional issues, rather than national, and on direct representation of parties to litigation and pre-litigation matters.

Students work under student practice rules and perform, or directly assist the director in performing, the tasks of competently assisting persons on a variety of First Amendment matters.

Typical Student Activities

• Client interviewing and counseling
• Case investigation and discovery
• Legal research
• Oral and written advocacy
• Negotiations
• Conducting hearings and trials
• Organizing and managing legal work