Benjamin Wilson

Benjamin Wilson is the Stanton Foundation Legal Fellow in the First Amendment Clinic, which represents clients in matters advancing and defending freedom of speech, press, and assembly. Ben is passionate about the First Amendment, in particular the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. He recently co-founded a nonprofit organization in Missouri called MO Free Speech, which seeks to educate residents of Missouri about the fundamental value of freedom of speech, as well as its fascinating history in the state.

Before joining the First Amendment Clinic, Ben was a civil litigator for two large law firms in Missouri. He defended a variety of companies, including several Fortune 500 product manufacturers, in both federal and state courts in Missouri and Illinois.

Before his legal career, Ben lived in Belgium for a year, which led him to study linguistics at the University of Iowa. He then worked in public relations for a major scientific software company for several years. He obtained his law degree, cum laude, from St. Louis University School of Law. During law school, Ben was a judicial extern for the Hon. G. Patrick Murphy in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. After graduating, he served as a law clerk for the Hon. David R. Herndon and the Hon. William D. Stiehl, also in the Southern District of Illinois.