Company Description

Established in 1970, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press provides pro bono legal representation, amicus curiae support, and other legal resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists. RCFP serves news organizations, reporters, editors, documentary filmmakers, media lawyers, and many more who use its online resources.

Job Description

The Reporters Committee is partnering with the American Journalism Project to furnish legal services to AJP’s growing national portfolio of nonprofit news organizations. The responsibilities of this position will include assessing the legal needs of AJP newsrooms, delivering trainings as needed, and providing legal counseling on editorial and non-editorial needs. The objective of this partnership with AJP is twofold: to provide immediate assistance to AJP news organizations and to start building a more robust legal infrastructure for the entire nonprofit journalism sector over the long term.

This full-time position reports directly to the Pro Bono Director.

The Reporters Committee is based in Washington, D.C. Applicants based either in the New York City or Washington, D.C.-metropolitan areas are strongly preferred. Starting salary, based on experience, will range from $116,900 to $126,800. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

SCOPE AND IMPACT OF THE ROLE

As the nation’s leading nonprofit protecting the legal rights of the press, RCFP works on the front lines of democracy. The Staff Attorney will be fulfilling a key role in the space of legal pro bono assistance at the service of local journalism, press freedom, and accountability reporting in the U.S. Since its founding in 1970, RCFP has been able to provide free legal services to journalists and news organizations that couldn’t otherwise afford it — helping with government access and Freedom of Information Act cases, defending against seizure of notes and phone records, litigating when necessary, and writing amicus briefs defending the First Amendment and advancing government transparency.

Long known for its role at the national level working with major media organizations, RCFP has intensified its efforts to support local journalists providing critical reporting on government functions (and dysfunctions) throughout the country. RCFP currently has two programs in this area: ProJourn and the Local Legal Initiative. The Staff Attorney will work with lawyers in both programs and will be situated in the ProJourn team, which is headed by the Pro Bono Director.

The Staff Attorney will be joining an organization that has grown substantially in response to the threats to press freedom and which continues to lean into its ambitious effort to improve our democracy by ensuring every reporter and newsroom around the country has the legal resources they need to be effective watchdogs of government.

This role will also be collaborating and coordinating directly with the American Journalism Project, an entrepreneurial team that’s passionate about journalism, civic engagement, and how local news plays a unique role in shaping our democracy. AJP helps build and grow sustainable local news organizations all over the country — through financial investment, venture support, and movement building — that are governed by, sustained by, and look like the public they serve. Since 2019, AJP has committed more than $180M of investment in over 50 nonprofit news organizations across the United States.

LEGAL AND PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide legal counseling to AJP news organizations in key editorial and non-editorial areas, including pre-publication review, access to local records, business operations and transactions, and 501(c)(3) compliance.
• Assist with transparency and potentially other types of litigation.
• Coordinate with RCFP staff to place and manage AJP matters with existing pro bono partners and law firms and serve as co-counsel where needed.
• Conduct an annual audit of each AJP news organization’s legal needs and connect AJP news organizations with attorneys that can address bespoke needs identified in the audit.
• Create a dashboard/trend analysis of data relating to the legal needs of AJP’s grantees and work with AJP leadership to identify trends and develop interventions.
• Organize regular legal trainings for AJP news organizations.
• Participate in AJPalooza to conduct legal workshops, sessions, etc.
• Vet incoming legal requests and streamline intake for AJP news organizations.
• Assist in establishing and maintaining databases relating to legal needs of AJP organizations.
• Gather conflict information from AJP news organizations and draft standard request forms.

Qualifications

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school.
• 4 -6 years of experience as a practicing attorney with understanding of ethics rules.
• Experience working in an environment that required multi-tasking, meeting deadlines, attention to detail, changing direction in rapid response to a fluctuating work environment, and prioritizing multiple projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Collaborative, solution-oriented, and capable of working in a team.
• Highly self-motivated.
• Commitment to a pro bono model of serving client needs.
• Demonstrated excellent organizational skills.

Desired Attributes

• Legal background in media law, First Amendment, and/or newsgathering rights.
• Familiarity with common legal needs in nonprofit organizations.
• Experience in legal aid, pro bono legal services, corporate social responsibility, philanthropies, or related areas.
• Track record of professional and/or personal commitment to issues related to pro bono services and intellectual curiosity regarding the complexity of the subjects.
• Preference for bilingual Spanish language speaker.

Additional Information

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and operate computer equipment. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Compensation: RCFP is committed to offering competitive pay and generous benefits, including group medical insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, retirement benefits, health-reimbursement accounts, and paid family leave. The salary range for this position is $116.9K to $126.8K.

How to apply: Submit a resume and cover letter. NOTE: Please submit materials in one PDF file. Only complete applications will advance in the hiring process.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

RCFP Is an Equal Opportunity Employer. At the Reporters Committee, we celebrate the diversity of our employees and our leadership. RCFP is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.