September 24, 2025

ASU Law’s First Amendment Clinic helps secure repeal of unconstitutional Glendale panhandling ordinances

Asking for help is no longer a crime in Glendale, Ariz., thanks to the work from students in the First Amendment Clinic at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, alongside the ACLU of Arizona and Public Justice.

 

After years of unconstitutional ordinances that penalized people for asking for donations in public, the Glendale City Council voted on Sept. 9 to repeal three panhandling bans — a decision influenced by a lawsuit brought by ASU Law’s First Amendment Clinic.

 

The case, filed July 30 on behalf of three Glendale residents, argued that the city’s ordinances violated the First Amendment right to engage in protected speech. Plaintiffs also sought a preliminary injunction to stop Glendale from enforcing laws that prohibited requests for money, donations or other items of value.

 

The repeal means Glendale police will no longer fine or arrest residents for asking others for financial assistance — a ruling consistent with federal court decisions striking down similar bans across the country.

 

ASU Law students played a critical role in the case, contributing to every stage of the litigation.

 

Sam Pritchett, a third-year JD student at ASU Law, helped identify plaintiffs, draft the complaint and prepare a motion for preliminary injunction. 

 

“In short, my role was to be a full-fledged member of a team of attorneys bringing a suit against Glendale for violating its residents’ First Amendment rights; drafting memos, motions and the complaint, discussing litigation strategy and cultivating client relationships,” he said.

 

For Pritchett, the outcome was especially meaningful. 

 

“It’s hard to overstate what it means to come away with a ‘win’ on my first case, particularly because it may help in some small way to de-stigmatize the acute need that people like our plaintiffs endure. I genuinely understand the city’s safety concerns and the discomfort that many people feel when they are asked for donations on the street by a stranger. But I think that, thanks in part to our pressure, the city of Glendale has accepted that it is fundamentally un-American to silence that which makes us uncomfortable, rather than working to truly address it. I couldn’t be more proud.”

 

Recent graduate Nyah Fyfe (JD ’25) worked on the early stages of the case, conducting research on the constitutionality of the ordinances and engaging with the Glendale community. 

 

“I am incredibly proud to have done work which has helped repeal a law that infringed on others’ rights,” Fyfe said. “I’ve lived in Arizona my whole life, and it meant a lot to me to work on a case that was impacting vulnerable members of my community. I am grateful I was able to do my part in bringing about change that will have a direct impact on my neighbors who were simply exercising their right to free speech and asking for help.”

 

Nicole Salars (JD ’25) also contributed to building the case foundation. 

 

“I was with this case at the stage of trying to put together a plan to find plaintiffs that would best fit the needs of the matter. Given that the ordinance largely affected un-housed persons’ First Amendment right to free speech, we had the opportunity with the ACLU to come up with how we could find Plaintiffs that had felt the weight of the ordinance’s impact,” Salars said.

 

ASU Law has 10 clinics that place students in the driver’s seat, handling real cases, serving clients and making a tangible community impact. Students not only learn how to practice the law through experiential learning, but they also make a real impact to those who need it most.

 

“This case was really enlightening how the First Amendment affects every aspect of life and what it means to exercise the right to free speech,” she said.  “As a freshly graduated JD and having just passed the bar exam recently, this win felt amazing that even my short semester with the First Amendment clinic brought about real, tangible change. It’s encouraging to know that going into my law practice that what we do has a physical impact on our community, and that we always have the opportunity and duty to advocate for those who need it.”

 

Pritchett, Fyfe and Salars agreed that working in the clinic gave them invaluable experience. 

 

“Through this experience, I was introduced to the stages of filing civil cases, which is an area of law I was unfamiliar with before,” Fyfe said. “Being in the clinic has helped strengthen my legal skills in many aspects. I was able to practice my legal research and writing abilities, and get familiar with the lifespan of a case, which was invaluable for me as I begin my legal career. Working in the clinic also broadened my knowledge in civil law, which I had not had experience in beforehand.”

 

“A lot of our work in the First Amendment Clinic is litigation-based, which is great since that is what I ended up going into post-grad. Specifically, though, being able to often start a case or jump into a crucial part of it prepared me for the kind of diligence and care that the practice of law demands,” Salars said.

 

For the students involved in the repealing of Glendale’s panhandling ordinances, the experience was more than a lesson in litigation — it was proof that even as students, they could help change the law.

 

“I hope this win encourages any law student considering working in a clinic at ASU Law takes the opportunity. It’s a unique experience to be the attorney that your clients put their trust into, which usually doesn’t happen until post-grad. And more than that, it’s a chance to enact change in ways that you might not have contemplated going into law school,” Salars said.

Written by Kourtney Kelley