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Clinical Programs

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First Amendment Clinic

The First Amendment Clinic gives students experience in many aspects of a First Amendment and media law practice, primarily concentrating on press freedom and access issues. The clinic’s primary goal is to teach aspiring lawyers how to help journalists defend their rights and promote government accountability. Clinic students will be involved in all aspects of a media law practice, particularly emphasizing interviewing and counseling media clients, drafting of legal documents such as briefs, pleadings, and motions, and representing clients in various legal settings. .

What students do:

Student attorneys are certified to practice in the clinic by the Arizona Supreme Court. Student attorneys will be involved in all aspects of a media law practice, particularly emphasizing interviewing and counseling media clients, drafting of appropriate legal documents such as briefs, pleadings and motions, and representing clients in various legal settings.

First Amendment Clinic

Course Information

The First Amendment Clinic is a one semester course.

  • Credits: three or six, one graded for seminar and two or five, pass/fail for client component
  • 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

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

Student Applications Dates for Clinic:

Virtual Open House for First Amendment Clinic will be on Tuesday, September 29th from 12:15 until 12:45.
Zoom Meeting ID# https://asu.zoom.us/j/92217834231

Spring 2021: 
Applications: September 23rd through October 23rd, 2020
Offers extended to students: October 30, 2020
Student acceptances due: November 2nd, 2020 by 5 pm

Summer/Fall 2021: 
Application period: January TBA - February TBA, 2021
Offers extended to students: February TBA, 2021
Student acceptances due: February TBA, 2021

**IMPORTANT!* - Pursuant to the Statement of Student Policies, Clinics – Students who have applied for a clinic and have been accepted may decline upon offer without consequence. However, once a student has accepted a clinic offered, any student who drops the clinic without prior approval by the dean’s designee will be subject to the 12-month ban.

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

For other information, please contact the Executive Director, Gregg.Leslie@asu.edu.

Our people

Gregg Leslie

Gregg Leslie
Executive Director, First Amendment Clinic
Professor of Practice
Gregg.Leslie@asu.edu

James Weinstein

James Weinstein
Faculty Advisor, First Amendment Clinic
Professor of Law
James.Weinstein@asu.edu