Founding Partners Tim Clinton & Matt Peed Unite with Fellow Harvard Alumni to Defend Academic Freedom

Clinton & Peed is proud to announce that its founding partners, Tim Clinton and Matt Peed—both Harvard College alumni—have joined more than 12,000 Harvard graduates in submitting an Amicus Curiae brief supporting Harvard University in President and Fellows of Harvard College v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Organized and circulated by Crimson Courage, the brief—drafted by alumni attorneys—urges courts to reject a federal effort that, as the amici write, seeks to “narrow our freedoms to learn, teach, think, and act, and to claim for itself the right to dictate who may enjoy those freedoms.”

Signatories span classes from 1950 to 2025 and every Harvard school, marking what Crimson Courage calls “the largest known alumni brief from a single university in American history.” The filing emphasizes that Harvard’s mission—to teach students how to think, not what to think—is fundamental to public service and democracy:

The Government’s escalating attacks—and this case—are about much more than funding. The Government strikes at the very core of Harvard: the longstanding practices and values of openness, free inquiry, and mutual respect, and its founding commitment to veritas—the quest for truth above all. The Government’s end goal is to narrow our freedoms to learn, teach, think, and act, and to claim for itself the right to dictate who may enjoy those freedoms. As alumni, we attest that Harvard’s true greatness resides in the ways we share these values and exercise these freedoms, which have long shaped how we understand and connect with one another, and how we anchor our continuing efforts to make a difference in service to the world.

“Academic freedom and the rule of law are pillars of a free society,” said Tim Clinton, reflecting on the firm’s involvement. “We were proud to add our names alongside so many fellow alumni who recognize the importance of institutional integrity.” In a separate moment of reflection, Matt Peed added, “This isn’t just about Harvard. It’s about preserving the autonomy of all academic institutions to make mission-driven decisions—free from political coercion.”

At a time when lawyers and institutions are increasingly asked to choose between convenience and conviction, Clinton & Peed remains steadfast in its mission: to act with integrity, advocate courageously, and defend the foundational principles of democracy.