Spotlight on John Langford ’14: Returning to MFIA

The Media Freedom and Information Access (MFIA) Clinic will welcome John Langford ’14 back as a visiting clinical associate professor beginning in January 2025.

A former MFIA Fellow, Langford has built an impressive career combining legal advocacy with a deep commitment to democracy. Currently counsel at Protect Democracy, Langford brings years of experience in litigation and teaching, ready to inspire a new cohort of students.

Reflecting on his previous time at MFIA, Langford said, “I really enjoyed working with students in the clinical model, where you can do a lot of good work in the world while helping students grow and learn and become lawyers. I left the MFIA fellowship knowing that at some point I wanted to return.”

After leaving MFIA, Langford took on significant challenges at Protect Democracy, focusing on issues at democracy’s intersection with speech. Early in his tenure, he successfully challenged the 2016 Trump campaign’s use of nondisclosure agreements that sought to suppress criticism, with one clause forbidding former staff from saying anything derogatory about Donald Trump or any of his companies forever. 

Langford’s work extended into critical advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he pushed back against public protest bans that unfairly targeted political expression. 

“At the time, exceptions were being made for activities like surfing or tanning, but core political activities like protests were prohibited,” Langford recalled. 

His efforts led to changes in many restrictive policies, further emphasizing the need for fairness where public health measures intersect with democratic rights.

More recently, Langford created the “Law for Truth” initiative at Protect Democracy, a project designed to combat the defamation of election officials and voters. Lies about election workers and election procedures were increasingly being used to undermine electoral integrity, so Langford sought to establish a deterrent by bringing high profile defamation cases against those using such falsehoods as a political strategy. 

“We were trying to protect robust public debate while ensuring it doesn’t come at the expense of physical safety, civil rights, and other very important interests,” Langford said.

Returning to MFIA, Langford is particularly excited about working with Yale students again. 

“The students at Yale are really special people—bright, curious, and interesting. There’s nothing better than getting to work with really bright young people,” he said. His role will include teaching in two clinics, with plans still being finalized, but his focus remains on giving students practical, meaningful experiences.

One of MFIA’s defining features, Langford noted, is its student-driven approach. 

“From the very beginning, it has been students who profoundly impacted what work we took on and why,” he said. “It’s really driven by what students think is important to focus on. I hope to continue that tradition during my time here.”

Langford’s return will strengthen and expand the clinic’s work and its ability to support students as they take on challenging legal issues in the years to come.