Staff Attorney, Lawyers for Reporters

POSITION: Staff Attorney, Lawyers for Reporters
DEPARTMENT: Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice
POSITION REPORTS TO:  Managing Attorney, Lawyers for Reporters/Vance Center
LOCATION : New York City (Hybrid work schedule)
FLSA STATUS : Exempt

Established in 2004, the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice advances global justice by engaging lawyers across borders to support civil society and an ethically active legal profession. The Vance Center is a unique collaboration of in-house and private practice lawyers catalyzing public interest innovation to advance human rights and access to justice, protect the natural environment, promote the rule of law and institutional integrity, and support reporting in the public interest. A non-profit program of the New York City Bar Association, we bring together leading law firms and other partners worldwide to pioneer domestic and international justice initiatives and provide pro bono legal representation to social justice NGOs. In 2024, the Vance Center represented 174 clients in 235 matters, collaborating as co-counsel with 844 lawyers from 164 law firms across 69 countries.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Vance Center launched Lawyers for Reporters in March 2020 to provide pro bono legal representation to independent local and subject-specific news outlets, public interest reporting organizations, and journalism support organizations in the United States. Since its launch, it has represented more than 350 clients in 41 states and the District of Columbia.

Lawyers for Reporters’ clients include independent publishers that distribute public interest and local news in such formats as print, websites, radio, documentary film, video and social media, as well as investigative, advocacy, and academic publishers of public interest content. Lawyers for Reporters was established to ensure that no public interest reporting organization needing legal support will fail to obtain it because of financial constraints.
Our in-house team has the privilege of working with exceptional practitioners from across the country dedicating pro bono service to support a cornerstone of our democracy – the independent press.

Using the Vance Center’s unique model, our in-house lawyers work with our network of pro bono private practitioners to provide advice and representation news publishers need at every stage of their life cycles. The scope of our representation is broad, covering corporate, transactional, employment, and taxation, as well as newsroom services such as pre-publication review of articles, newsgathering advice, help responding to retraction demands and litigation threats, subpoena defense, support for freedom of information and access rights, copyright licensing and defense, trademark, and more. We help clients apply for tax-exempt charitable status and establish subscriber/membership programs. In the current hostile environment in which the press operates, we offer compliance checkups, safety and know-your-rights resources, and training and capacity building.

JOB FUNCTIONS include, but are not limited to:
The Staff Attorney, reporting to the Managing Attorney, will collaborate with a team of five professionals in the legal practice of the program in all areas: intake of new clients; determination of legal needs; communication with clients and law firms providing pro bono co-counseling; coordination with law firms regarding legal services provided; provision of legal advice and representation; and support of fundraising for the program from foundations, law firms, and individuals, in coordination with fundraising staff.

We seek a Staff Attorney with some demonstrable experience in media and/or First Amendment law, and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop expertise in a broad range of other legal areas affecting news and public interest media organizations and to assume primary responsibility for client matters in these areas.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Law degree from a U.S. law school, with additional education or specialization in media law and/or journalism a plus.
• Admission to practice law in any state.
• Minimum of 3 years of legal practice in a U.S. law firm or other organization representing clients, with at least 1 year of experience in media and/or First Amendment law.
• The ability to work independently, present well in writing and orally, manage multiple short and long-term tasks simultaneously, and report, with the Managing Attorney, to an advisory committee.
• Authorization to work in the United States.

Additional Experience Preferred

• Experience and/or general knowledge of professional journalism and/or start-up businesses.
• Experience with pro bono practice and general knowledge of the U.S. legal market, including pro bono legal services.
• Ability to develop and/or work with professional networks and/or other forms of collaboration.
• Experience with nonprofit management, including governance and compliance.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor visas for this position.

Candidates for this position must be available for in-person work at our Midtown Manhattan office on a hybrid schedule. The schedule requires 3 days of scheduled in-office work per week, with the balance of time being work-from-home. The hybrid schedule is subject to review and revision based on departmental needs.

The annualized salary for this role is in the range of $100,000 to $110,000. We provide a competitive benefits package including generous paid time off (vacation, personal, sick time, holidays including closing between Christmas and New Year’s day this year, day off for volunteer work, extra time off in summer), choice of medical plans, dental, vision, 401K, life insurance, commuter benefits program, Employee Assistance Program, short-term/long-term disability insurance, employee discounts, and more!

To apply: Please submit a resume and a cover letter to explain why you are interested in the position. Applications will be considered when received until a qualified candidate is hired. Three references will be required later on in the hiring process for candidates being given serious consideration.

We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and unique experiences to apply, especially candidates belonging to historically under-represented communities in the legal profession. We welcome diversity of all kinds. It is the policy of the Organization to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record, pregnancy, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, marital status, partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, religion, sex, genetic information, military status, unemployment status or any other characteristic as protected by law. With regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws, the organization will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for persons due to their religious beliefs, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition or because the individual was a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking.