Clinic News
“Our free speech work necessarily spans the political spectrum — from fighting against book bans that seek to tell libraries what can be on their shelves to fighting against schools that seek to silence students seeking to promote conservative causes. For the First Amendment to mean anything it has to be applied vigorously on behalf of all of us.” – Clinic Director Mark H. Jackson
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Declines Appeal in Spotlight PA Case, Clearing Path for Release of Penn State Trustee Records
April 9, 2026 - The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania declined to hear an appeal, ending a hard-fought battle over Penn State University Board of Trustees’ records sought by the investigative news outlet Spotlight PA, represented by the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic and co-counsel the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “We are heartened that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declined […]
Adam Tragone Joins Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic to Support Western Pennsylvania Journalists
March 27, 2026 - Clinic’s Local Journalism Project collaborates with Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Pittsburgh’s Public Source to provide pro bono legal help to local news outlets PITTSBURGH – Adam Tragone has joined the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic as a Local Journalism Project Attorney in Western Pennsylvania, part of an innovative collaboration with […]
Timberlake Video Released 21 Months After Clinic Client’s Initial FOIL Request
March 27, 2026 - Sag Harbor Village released redacted bodycam video of Justine Timberlake’s 2024 arrest in response to a Freedom of Information Law request by The Express News Group, publisher of Sag Harbor Express, a client of The Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic’s Local Journalism Project. “Police bodycam footage exists largely for public accountability — it shouldn’t […]
Cornell Clinic Visits The Wall Street Journal
March 25, 2026 - Students and faculty from the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic visited The Wall Street Journal newsroom on March 13, where they heard from journalists and lawyers at the media organization. Investigative journalists Christopher Stewart, Joseph Palazzolo, Khadeeja Safdar and Marcelo Prince described the hard work that goes into creating impactful journalism. Members of the […]
Clinic’s Heather Murray Takes Part in Sunshine Week Events
March 23, 2026 - Heather Murray, Associate Director of the Cornell First Amendment Clinic and Managing Attorney of its Local Journalism Project, took part in two Sunshine Week events in Pennsylvania last week. Sunshine Week, held annually in March, is a nationwide observance that emphasizes the importance of open government, public records, and freedom of information. Organized by the […]
Cornell’s First Amendment Clinic in Tumultuous Times: Ambitious Goals and Ongoing Impact
February 24, 2026 - In a recent eCornell Keynote, Clinic Director Mark Jackson joins Advisory Board member and Cornell Law School professor Michael Dorf to reflect on the Clinic’s impact, the urgent challenges faced by the Clinic, and the work still ahead. Watch the full discussion here.
News Coverage of Clinic’s Lawsuit Protecting First Amendment Rights in New York City
January 12, 2026 - The Clinic’s new First Amendment lawsuit, seeking to establish important legal rights for protestors in New York City’s many “privately owned public spaces,” or POPS, attracted widespread attention. Here is a selection of some of the news coverage: Suit Argues for Free Speech in Privately Owned Public Spaces, THE CITY NYC’s Private-Public Spaces Are at […]
After Client Arrested While Protesting Law Firm’s Deal With Trump, Clinic Sues for First Amendment Violation
December 18, 2025 - Retired prosecutor David O’Keefe filed a lawsuit today to vindicate his — and the public’s — First Amendment rights after he was arrested while protesting outside the Midtown headquarters of a law firm that made a deal with the Trump administration The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, names the City of […]
Safeguarding Democracy by Defending Free Speech and Enabling a Vibrant Press
December 11, 2025 - In a Cornell Law School Forum article, Eileen Korey describes how Clinic Director Mark Jackson’s father, a journalist, inspired his passion for free speech and his dedication to defending local journalism. Read the full article here.
First Amendment Clinic Wins Appeal to Protect Journalist’s Unnamed Sources
December 9, 2025 - The First Amendment Clinic won an important appeal on November 26 that strengthens New York journalists’ ability to protect their anonymous sources and the rest of their newsgathering. The appeals court unanimously held that a subpoena of Joseph Abraham, the former managing editor of the Sullivan County Democrat, had to be quashed because the party that […]