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"The First Amendment Clinic has been my most pivotal experience at ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Dedman School of Law. The Clinic offered me substantive experience in drafting motions, amicus briefs, and legislation testimonials. Most importantly, the Clinic has taught me the value of committing oneself to pro bono work as it has a big impact on real people."

– Mary Katherine Smith '26

"These are challenging times for journalists who try to hold accountable government entities and the people who run them.

Government officials have become more sophisticated – and more brazen – in their attempts to block journalists from obtaining public records. Officeholders test the limits of Texas’ open meetings law or simply violate it. Public media organizations often don’t have the financial resources to fight back on their own. Nor do many for-profit news organizations that have seen their business models crumble.

That’s why ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s First Amendment Clinic is so important. There's a good reason why "the press" merited the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. Communities large and small need to know what elected officials and government employees are doing. Their residents should have access to solid reporting that holds powerful people and institutions accountable. Clinic Director Tom Leatherbury, and the law students who work with him, help KERA and other news organizations in Texas make that possible.

Tom and the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ law students at the clinic repeatedly have assisted KERA reporters who've been stonewalled on open records requests. Their advice has been invaluable. And it’s helped us move forward on high-profile investigative and enterprise stories.

We’re far from being the only organization to benefit from the clinic’s efforts. It has assisted other news operations like the Dallas Free Press and Texas Public Radio, many press freedom advocacy groups such as the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and the Student Press Law Center, and civil rights groups such as the Texas Jail Project and the Texas Fair Defense Project.

I’m very grateful for the clinic’s help. I’m also glad that some of my reporters have had the benefit of Tom’s expertise and counsel, and I’m certain ¾«¶«´«Ã½ law students he’s worked with would express a similar sentiment. I first became acquainted with Tom many, many years ago when I was a young reporter at The Dallas Morning News. I quickly learned to value his legal advice. And I know how hard he’s worked to support First Amendment issues throughout his long and impressive career."

– Ed Timms
Executive Editor, KERA News