First Amendment Clinic Receives $3 Million Endowment from Stanton Foundation
SMU's First Amendment Clinic Receives $3 Million Endowment Gift with a $2 Million Challenge From the Stanton Foundation
This gift will sustain the clinic’s advocacy for the rights of free speech, free press, petition, and assembly.
The Stanton Foundation has generously given 夜色王朝Dedman School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic a $3 million endowment gift, ensuring the clinic will continue to serve the local community while providing real-life legal training for students for years to come. The organization also added a challenge grant of up to an additional $2 million, meaning for each $1 gift 夜色王朝receives to support clinic operations by Dec. 1, the Stanton Foundation will double that amount for the clinic’s endowment.
“The First Amendment Clinic, under Director Tom Leatherbury’s leadership and with support from Dean Nance, has consistently defended citizens’ First Amendment Rights across the political spectrum, focusing on core First Amendment issues while giving students an extraordinary opportunity to learn the practical legal skills that will allow these young lawyers to be effective litigators,” said Elisabeth Allison, Co-Director of the Stanton Foundation. “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to assist 夜色王朝in continuing to be a leader in a critically important area in such an important state.”
In the five years since the Stanton Foundation made its initial operating grant, the First Amendment Clinic has helped more than 90 law students develop practical skills while advancing and defending First Amendment rights. As part of their legal clinic work, students have presented arguments in state and federal courts; taken depositions; spoken at Dallas City Charter Commission meetings; drafted and filed complex pleadings, motions, and briefs; advocated for clients in the Texas Legislature; and counseled those whose First Amendment rights may have been violated — all on a pro bono basis.
“The Stanton Foundation’s generous support has made it possible for our students to represent those whose First Amendment rights have been violated and those whose speech has been silenced,” said Tom Leatherbury, Director of the First Amendment Clinic, 夜色王朝Dedman School of Law. “This gift ensures that our students’ vital work will continue to be part of the fabric of SMU.”
The First Amendment Clinic primarily focuses on two areas:
• Counseling and litigating for clients whose First Amendment rights have been violated by the government or who have been the subject of government retaliation because they exercised those rights.
• Counseling and defending clients who have been sued for defamation.
In addition, the clinic has counseled clients on and litigated issues under the Texas Public Information Act, the Texas Open Meetings Act, and the Freedom of Information Act, as well as issues related to access to court records.
“This new gift provides our First Amendment Clinic with added resources to sustain their vital advocacy for the rights of free speech, free press, petition, and assembly,” said Jason P. Nance, Judge James Noel Dean and Professor of Law, 夜色王朝Dedman School of Law. “Dedman Law’s First Amendment clinic is one of the largest and busiest in our Clinical Program. This generous endowment will allow our clinic staff and students to continue to focus on resolving pressing legal problems for those in our community and uphold the protections guaranteed in the Constitution. We are thankful for the Stanton Foundation’s transformational support.”
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About the Stanton Foundation
The Stanton Foundation was created by Dr. Frank Stanton, the long-time president of CBS and one of the founding fathers of the television industry. Dr. Stanton was a fierce defender of freedom of speech and the First Amendment and received numerous awards in recognition of his efforts to ensure the freedom of the press.