•    An offer to become dean at a public law school is withdrawn, because the candidate is suddenly considered "too controversial." After a firestorm, the offer is reinstated.

•    A professor is fired from his public university position after a "thorough examination of ...[his]...writings, speeches, tape recordings and other works... ."

•    A law school clinic is threatened with state defunding because of its representation of environmental groups.

•    A professor is demoted after inviting a Nobel Peace laureate to speak at a private college.

(Retired Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court and founding SALT board member Cruz Reynoso pictured at right)

Academic freedom is as important today as it has ever been, especially when universities and law schools are looking for ways to cut costs in response to the current economic crisis. What would happen to American law schools and to the quality of legal education and scholarship if there were no full time professors, no security of position, no participation in university governance? 

Link to AAUP Speak Up, Speak Out: Protect the Faculty Voice

July 19, 2010:  SALT defends tenure as ABA Standards Review Committee continues its comprehensive review of the Standards and Interpretations for Approval of Law Schools.  Read the SALT Statement.

July 6, 2010: SALT asks judge not to increase sentence for Lynne Stewart, defense attorney convicted of terrorist-related charges incurred while defending her client.  Read the SALT letter. 

April 29, 2010: SALT Opposes Proposed Louisiana Legislation to Curb Scope of Law School Clinics: In letters to Senators serving on the Louisiana Commerce Committee and to the deans of the four Louisiana law schools, SALT opposed proposed legislation to curb the scope of law school clinics.  Read the SALT Letter. 

March 31, 2010 Update: SALT supports University of Maryland School of Law clinics in face of proposed legislation to collect information that would inhibit legal representation.  Compromise reached.   Read a copy of SALT's letter.

February 2010 Update:  SALT joins National Lawyers Guild, Center for Constitutional Rights, LatCrit, and 35 individuals in an amicus brief in the Churchill v. University of Colorado appeal.  Read the amicus brief.