Spotlight on Andy Udelsman ’17: From MFIA to Championing Civil Rights

Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic (MFIA) alum Andy Udelsman ’17 has built a career advocating for civil rights and human dignity. His post-Yale journey has taken him from clerkships in Nevada and Guam to immigration litigation in Texas, death penalty defense in Nevada, and now civil rights work in Miami. Along the way, Udelsman credits the critical influence of the MFIA Clinic in shaping his career.

“When I was looking at clinic options, I saw that MFIA had several cases involving Guantánamo — cases related to the military commissions and habeas proceedings,” Udelsman recalls. “I said, ‘That’s exactly what I want to do.’” Over two years, he worked on numerous cases, gaining invaluable experience litigating in federal court.

“To me, it was so exciting to be a law student litigating in federal court against seasoned Department of Justice lawyers — and winning. We were getting more public information about government secrets and achieving greater transparency. I loved it.”

One case in particular left a lasting impression. “We were working on Abu Zubaydah’s habeas petition in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia,” he said. Zubaydah, a Guantánamo detainee subjected to torture and held without formal charges, had petitioned the court to challenge the excessive secrecy surrounding his case. 

“The CIA had convinced the court to allow them to decide what documents were sealed or not. Over half the entries were sealed, which seemed wrong. The public has a First Amendment right of access to those filings. Dave Schulz (MFIA clinic director), who developed much of that case law, guided us through the process. It was amazing to work under his mentorship on something he had been so instrumental in creating,” Udelsman said.

“We filed a motion to intervene in the case to unseal everything. Three days later, the judge granted it. It was an incredible experience. Honestly, I got spoiled because it happened so quickly. I thought, ‘Wow, federal litigation is so fast and efficient.’ Since then, I’ve learned that cases usually take years, but this one was just extraordinary,” he said.

Since graduating, Udelsman has followed his passion for helping marginalized communities. “My career has been about finding where I can be most helpful to people who really need it. I’ve worked on immigration, death penalty cases, and now prison conditions. Prisoners suffer from so many constitutional and civil rights violations. There’s a huge need for lawyers in this field.”

His latest milestone? “I had the great honor and privilege of filing my first class action lawsuit two months ago. It’s challenging prison conditions in Florida for excessive heat. Our prisons here are not air-conditioned, even around Miami. The lessons I learned during my two years at MFIA were instrumental in giving me the skills to build and file this class action lawsuit.”

Udelsman’s work exemplifies the impact of MFIA alumni in advancing accountability and transparency, showing how the clinic’s foundational training continues to resonate in real-world advocacy.