Campuses across the country have witnessed an outpouring of protests—related to the Israel/Gaza conflict, the election, and more. These protests, often highly publicized and spanning from peaceful expression to outright violence, have tested the very limits of free speech and raised critical questions about the role of academic institutions in safeguarding both expression and public order. In some cases, administrators have turned to municipal police, escalating tensions and exacerbating already fraught environments. External groups – legislatures, alumni, and private employers—have also pressured universities to act. This resulted in a landscape fraught with competing interests: the protection of free expression, the preservation of public order, and the defense of academic freedom. In this context, clinics stand at the crossroads of legal advocacy, ethical responsibility, and education, guiding students through the complexities of representing clients with controversial views—often at a time when public opinion is sharply divided. These clinics have provided invaluable legal counsel, not only to those facing disciplinary actions for protesting, but also to activists and journalists confronting the legal ramifications of their speech. Clinics not only offer legal representation but also teach students how to navigate the delicate balance between their duty to defend clients' rights and their ethical obligations to maintain professional integrity. This session will explore the essential role that First Amendment Clinics play in fostering civil discourse and protecting free expression during times of societal turmoil. It will examine the pedagogical challenges of guiding students through the moral and legal complexities of representing individuals whose views may clash with their own. More importantly, it will confront the tension between legal advocacy and ethical responsibility, ensuring that clinics not only equip students to defend constitutional rights but also hold them accountable to the higher principles of justice.