Tom Leatherbury

Texas media and appellate lawyer; retired @VECareers; Director, First Amendment Clinic, @SMULawClinics @SMULawSchool; Everton; opinions are my own

[SMU Dedman School of Law @SMULawSchool]

SMU Dedman School of Law’s Small Business and Trademark Clinic is honored to receive the 2026 Fritz Lanham Trademark Award from the State Bar of Texas Intellectual Property Law Section.

The award will be presented at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Houston next month.

Read more about the Fritz Lanham Trademark Award: https://t.co/6Oavv4Ysp1

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

@paulflahive has done incredible work reporting on the failures of the Texas child welfare and foster care systems. Highly recommended reading for those who care about government transparency and Texas children.

[Paul Flahive @paulflahive]

I woke up to this terrible story in the @ExpressNews today.

Mom kills kids, burns bodies. Family had been trying to get state to remove kids for weeks @TexasDFPS.

I would like to say this tragedy was singular, but it isn't...

https://t.co/xefvQE0CGP

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

@Prof_CarlaReyes @lawprofblawg Both! Well-deserved. Congratulations!

[SMU Dedman School of Law @SMULawSchool]

Prof. @Tsleather and Prof. Peter Stefensen were featured in @Law360's article, “Kash Patel's Suit Over Pundit's 'Nightclubs' Quip Gets Axed.”

Read More: https://t.co/nQsssGgTXF

[SMU Dedman School of Law @SMULawSchool]

Prof. @Tsleather was quoted in the @startelegram's article, “Who could be named Fort Worth ISD superintendent? TEA keeps details at a minimum.”

Read More: https://t.co/6eBOPHHXtB

[SMU Dedman School of Law @SMULawSchool]

Prof. @Tsleather and Prof. Peter Steffensen were quoted in @TheBushCenter's article, “Citizens lose without access to reliable information.”

Read More: https://t.co/wAXqo8tM0B

[SMU Dedman School of Law @SMULawSchool]

Prof. @Tsleather was quoted in @HoustonPubMedia’s article, “Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s office was told to release trade mission documents. Most are redacted.”

Read More: https://t.co/R5qn2eOET2

[J. Justin Wilson @jjustinwilson]

Today @Ij won a case that has major ramifications for anyone thrown in jail for filming police officers or other law enforcement agents. Last night a federal judge ruled that Fort Bend County, Tx. officers violated independent journalist Justin Pulliam’s rights when they arrested him for recording police activity. https://t.co/xrmiyknrCl

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

@RMFifthCircuit Strongly agree with you, my friend!

[Patrick Svitek @PatrickSvitek]

I was laid off today from the Washington Post’s campaigns team covering the midterms and 2028.

I hear this is an important election year — and I want to cover it aggressively. If you’d like to work together, my DMs are open and you can email me at [email protected].

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

Please join us @SMULawSchool

[SMULawClinics @SMULawClinics]

📣 Join us Feb. 10 at 7 PM | Walsh Classroom @smulawschool for a guest talk with Paul Flahive, award-winning journalist, discussing his Pulitzer-funded investigation into systemic failures in the Texas child welfare system.
🔎 When Home Is the Danger��→ https://t.co/lzj44EFE4s

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

@RMFifthCircuit Raffi, Thank you for telling us some of your father’s rich story. Sending my love to you and your family.

[Kate McGee Balagia @McGeeReports]

I spent months w: @nico_gjc piecing together what led to Gen. Mark Welsh III’s ouster from A&M. It was a culmination of yrs of reporting for both of us. If you want to understand higher ed politics in Texas, read this until the end(I beg of you): https://t.co/Xw2vYwqTVG #txlege

[David A. Furlow @DavidAFurlow]

Successful ideas for $2,500 Larry McNeill Fellowships have included (1) a proposed history of the Texas right to privacy; (2) a documentary reader covering the history of Texas slavery; and (3) a comparative analysis of statutes and cases in developing Texas common law.

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

Thank you, Dallas Bar Foundation, for your generous support of the 1A Clinic @SMULawSchool. Your gift’s impact will triple because of a matching gift! https://t.co/PZ9tpMQa9T @DallasBarAssoc @SMULawClinics

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

The 1A Clinic @SMULawSchool @SMULawClinics - Fall 2025

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

@TomLuceTX @SMULawSchool @SMULawClinics Thank you, Tom! And thank you for all you do!

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

A favorite day of the semester - the swearing-in ceremony of our new Clinic students. Let’s go get ‘em! @SMULawSchool @SMULawClinics

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

@RMFifthCircuit @SMULawSchool @SMULawClinics Yes, they are now associate members of the @statebaroftexas. Judge Lynn did the honors.

[Tom Leatherbury @Tsleather]

Toff is raring to go for the fall semester in the 1A Clinic! @SMULawSchool @SMULawClinics