Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law - Beus Center for Law and Society Snell & Wilmer Plaza

First Amendment Clinic

The First Amendment Clinic gives students experience in many aspects of a First Amendment and media law practice. 
The clinic’s workload is different every semester, due to the wide range of matters we will take on. Students have defended libel and invasion-of-privacy suits, assisted in First Amendment-based civil rights claims, argued to unseal court records, fought to make state and federal government agencies release documents, written friend-of-the-court briefs in a wide array of cases, provided pre-publication assistance for authors, helped authors obtain interviews with controversial prisoners, and fought for changes in government policies.

Students can enroll for four, five or six credits. Two credits will be given for the graded seminar portion, and either two, three or four credits will be pass/fail for the client component.

 

What students do:

Student attorneys are certified to practice in the clinic by the Arizona Supreme Court. Clinic students will be involved in all aspects of a legal practice, particularly emphasizing interviewing and counseling clients, drafting and filing legal briefs, pleadings and motions, and representing clients in court.

First Amendment Clinic 

First Amendment staff and students picture on BCLS stairs landing

Course Information

The First Amendment Clinic is a one semester course.

  • Credits: four/five or six total credits - two graded for seminar AND two/three or four, pass/fail for client component. Students should pick the amount of credits they wish to enroll for. Four total credits will require 180 hours of course and client work over the semester. Five credits will require 225 hours, and six credits will require 270 hours.
  • Pre- or Co-Requites: Professional Responsibility, Evidence, Criminal Law and Civil Procedure
  • Must be Rule 39 certified after acceptance to clinic.

Enrollment limited to 6 students

First Amendment Clinic News

FA Clinic Blog

CFOIC, news organizations file brief supporting The Colorado Independents SCOTUS petition

Arizona’s Chief Justice Reminds Judges Of Importance Of Media In Courtrooms

Student Applications Dates for Clinic:

Spring 2022:
Applications: September 24 - October 24, 2021
Offers extended to students: October 29, 2021
Student acceptances due: November 1, 2021 by 5 pm

Summer/Fall 2022: Application period: January 17 - February 20, 2022 Offers extended to students: February 25, 2022 Student acceptances due: February 28, 2022 by 9:00 a.m.

**IMPORTANT!* - Externships and Clinics – Students who have applied for an externship or clinic and been accepted may decline upon offer without consequence. However, once a student has accepted an externship or clinic, any student who drops the externship or clinic without prior approval by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will be subject to the 12-month ban.

Students may apply via Atlas during the application period listed above.

Our People

Gregg Leslie

Gregg Leslie
Executive Director, First Amendment Clinic
Professor of Practice

James Weinstein

James Weinstein
Faculty Advisor
Professor of Law