Alyse Horan ’23 has received the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic’s Jackson Distinguished Alumni Award for her continuing work on a case seeking access to records concerning the deaths of migrants near the U.S.–Mexico border.

Alyse Horan ’23

Horan, now an associate at Alston & Bird, began working on the case during her three semesters as a student in the First Amendment Clinic and has continued as co-counsel since graduating. The award, presented during the clinic’s pre-semester Bootcamp on August 21, recognizes extraordinary contributions by members of the clinic’s alumni network.

The case involves journalist Michelle García, who for years has sought access to autopsy records and related information concerning unidentified migrants who died near the South Texas border. García is seeking the records in an effort to determine more accurately the number of deaths and their causes.

Working with the SMU Dedman School of Law First Amendment Clinic, the Cornell clinic filed suit in June 2024 seeking records from the Webb County Medical Examiner’s Office. The lawsuit asserts claims under the Texas Public Information Act as well as the U.S. and Texas constitutions and the common-law right of access.

Horan helped draft the complaint, which raised novel First Amendment claims alongside statutory public-records claims, assisted with summary judgment briefing, and most recently took the lead in drafting an appellate reply brief filed in August.

Her role has also evolved from that of clinic student to mentor and supervisor. Heather Murray, associate director of the clinic and managing attorney of its Local Journalism Project, said Horan has helped oversee students at both Cornell and the SMU Dedman School of Law First Amendment Clinic who are working on the litigation.

“Students can really see how she engages with heart and with humility,” Murray said.

Accepting the award before current clinic students and faculty, Horan reflected on how continuing to work with the clinic has given her opportunities that she would not ordinarily have had as a junior associate at a large law firm.

“I’ve had drafting experience I never would have had at a big law firm as a junior associate,” Horan said. “It’s been great stepping out from the subject matter at a big law firm and to continue to work on such a public-interest-focused matter.”

The Jackson Distinguished Alumni Award is named for First Amendment Clinic founder and director Mark H. Jackson, A.B. ’81, J.D. ’85. The award reflects the clinic’s broader effort to encourage former students to remain involved in First Amendment advocacy after graduation.

Addressing Horan at the award ceremony, Jackson praised the commitment she has shown to the litigation.

“It’s not just that you’ve been doing this work for a long time and that you got this award; it’s that you showed the passion and the persistence that a good litigator needs to have in order to achieve a great result,” Jackson said.