With support from a nearly $1 million gift from the Stanton Foundation, Tulane Law School will launch a new law clinic dedicated to First Amendment rights, Dean David Meyer announced.

The gift will cover the full operating costs of the new clinic for five years and enable the law school to hire a new faculty member to lead the clinic.

Once in operation, the clinic will represent clients seeking to vindicate First Amendment rights of speech, of the press, to petition and of assembly under the supervision of faculty mentors. 

“This is an exceptional opportunity to extend Tulane’s signature strength in clinical education, while leveraging our faculty’s leading expertise in the First Amendment and serving vital community needs,” Meyer said.  “We’re grateful to the Stanton Foundation for partnering with Tulane in making this possible.”

The Stanton Foundation was created by Frank Stanton, a longtime president of CBS News, to advance First Amendment and democratic values through an informed citizenry.

The foundation partnered with Tulane in the new clinic both because of Tulane’s renowned strength in clinical education and its leading faculty expertise on the First Amendment.

One of the first law schools in the country to launch a clinical program, Tulane remains a national leader in providing professional skills training to students. The school celebrated the 40th anniversary of its clinical program last spring.