FOIFT to honor SMU First Amendment Clinic

AUSTIN – The First Amendment Clinic at the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law will receive the prestigious James Madison Award for its work protecting the constitutional rights of free speech and free press.

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas bestows the award for outstanding commitment to the principles of the First Amendment and open government. The foundation will present the 2024 award at its state conference Sept. 13 at the Hilton Austin in downtown Austin.

SMU’s First Amendment Clinic focuses on First Amendment issues including freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly and petition.

“We are incredibly honored by the Foundation’s recognition of the Clinic through its James Madison Award. Since the fall of 2020 and with the generous support of the Stanton Foundation, our students have worked hard to advance and to protect Texans’ First Amendment rights in courts, in administrative proceedings and in the Legislature,” said clinic director Thomas S. Leatherbury.

“We all know a lot of work remains to be done,” he added. “Texas – so many First Amendment violations, so little time.”

The Dallas-based clinic assists journalists and others who need legal help to safeguard their First Amendment rights. It collaborates with private law firms in select cases and cooperates with other law school clinics across the country.

“Texans are extremely fortunate to have the SMU First Amendment Clinic fighting for our liberties of free speech and a free press. A free flow of information and the ability to speak freely are essential if we are to hold government accountable and make our state and nation a better place,” said Kelley Shannon, executive director of the nonprofit FOI Foundation of Texas.

The FOI Foundation of Texas has presented the James Madison Award annually since 1987 to journalists, attorneys, public officials and vigilant citizens and organizations.

In addition to honoring the SMU Dedman School of Law First Amendment Clinic, the foundation’s state conference Sept. 13 will celebrate excellence in journalism with two Spirit of FOI Awards during the conference’s John Henry Faulk Awards Luncheon.

Sessions throughout the day will explore current issues in government transparency and First Amendment rights and look ahead to freedom of information topics of the 2025 Texas Legislature.

Conference activities kick off at 9 a.m. and run through 3 p.m. Panel moderators and speakers include FOIFT president Ayan Mittra of The Texas Tribune; Yvonne Mintz of The Facts in Brazoria County; Josh Hinkle of KXAN in Austin; JT Morris of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE); Tom Leatherbury of the SMU First Amendment Clinic; San Antonio photojournalist Billy Calzada; media attorney Alicia Calzada of the National Press Photographers Association; Linda Pavlik of the League of Women Voters of Texas and the Texas Sunshine Coalition; First Amendment attorney Laura Prather of Haynes and Boone; open government attorney Bill Aleshire; Scott Reese Willey of the Fort Bend Herald; and Joe Ellis of KVUE-TV in Austin.

The opening session is entitled “First Amendment under fire,” and will be followed by a discussion of FOI topics and concerns expected in the 2025 Texas Legislature. The closing session will feature stories of real world instances of attaining local government transparency.

The John Henry Faulk Awards luncheon will feature a keynote address by veteran journalist and UT professor Kathleen McElroy.

The conference is open to the public. It will be at the Hilton Austin, 500 E. Fourth St., in downtown Austin. Registration, the agenda and other information can be found at https://foift.org/activities-programs/events/.