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
Erie County Legislature flunks transparency test
May 4, 2026 - A May 1, 2026, Investigative Post article quoted Heather Murray, Associate Director of the First Amendment Clinic and Managing Attorney of the Local Journalism Project. Read the full article here: “Erie County Legislature flunks transparency test” Investigative Post, by Geoff Kelly
Prominent First Amendment Legal Scholars File Amicus Asking Supreme Court to Review ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Case
May 1, 2026 - The Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic filed an amicus brief on April 30, 2026, in D.A. v. Tri County Area Schools, supporting a writ of certiorari before the United States Supreme Court in a case addressing the scope of student-speech rights. Two middle school students, represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and […]
Judge refuses to unseal DA’s search warrant on City of Pittsburgh
April 30, 2026 - An April 29, 2026, TribLive article, “Judge refuses to unseal DA’s search warrant on City of Pittsburgh,” by Paula Reed Ward, quotes Adam Tragone, Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic Local Journalism Attorney, who brought a motion to unseal a search warrant and accompanying affidavit served on the City of Pittsburgh, on behalf of Michael […]
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 […]