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Content related to the Center for Media Law and Policy’s activities and people.

A UNC Student’s Summer Experience at the Federal Communications Commission

By on May 8, 2022 in Center for Media Law and Policy

Each summer, the Center for Media Law and Policy provides financial support through its summer grants program to UNC law and graduate students taking unpaid or low-paying jobs in the fields of media law or media policy. The comments below are from Noelle Wilson, a second-year dual degree student at UNC pursuing a JD and an MA in Media & Communication and recipient of one of the Center’s Summer Public Interest Grants, who interned at the Federal Communications Commission:

Last summer I interned for the Competition Policy Division of the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C. The FCC regulates communications by telephone, radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. Specifically, the Competition Policy Division (CPD) is within the Wireline Competition Bureau, and is responsible for  implementation of non-pricing aspects of the local competition requirements of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, including interconnection, network element unbundling and privacy. The division also administers U.S. numbering policy (including local number portability), and reviews applications from wireline carriers for mergers and other transfers of control, and discontinuance of service.

The CPD works on a lot of hot topics in communications law, including rulemakings to help implement 988 as the three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Hotline (which will be fully implemented July of this year!) and rulemakings to help stop robocalls. During my summer with CPD, I worked on a memo for FCC partners at SAMSHA regarding potential future 988 rulemaking proceedings, through which I learned the ins and outs of administrative law and FCC procedure. I also worked with interns from the Enforcement division to review robocall mitigation plans that telecommunications providers submitted to the FCC to comply with robocall mitigation rulemakings. On another project, I gained insight into how the FCC works with state utility commissions by analyzing state regulations for iVoiP providers—this was also a valuable opportunity to dive into state regulatory law!

Beyond the exciting legal work, I also had lots of opportunities to meet FCC attorneys despite being a remote intern. The CPD attorneys were welcoming and eager to talk about their careers and experiences at the Commission over virtual coffees, and the division included the interns in team meetings and virtual social gatherings. Overall, my summer at the FCC was a great experience to learn about how the Commission functions and it reinforced my desire to work in communications law. 

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A UNC Student’s Summer Experience at the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts

By on May 4, 2022 in Center for Media Law and Policy

Each summer, the Center for Media Law and Policy provides financial support through its summer grants program to UNC law and graduate students taking unpaid or low-paying jobs in the fields of media law or media policy. The comments below are from Kathryn Johnson, a dual degree JD/MA student at the UNC School of Law and UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, who interned at the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts in summer 2021 and received one of the Center’s grants:

In the summer of 2021, I had the opportunity to work for the General Counsel’s office at the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (“NCAOC”). NCAOC provides administrative services to help the state’s court system operate more efficiently and effectively. This includes ensuring that the state courts are open and accessible to anyone who initiates litigation or is otherwise drawn into litigation as well as ensuring the public has access to court documents.

While there, I focused much of my research on legal issues surrounding the press and public’s First Amendment right to access newly-filed civil complaints in a timely manner. During my time at NCAOC, North Carolina was in the process of rolling out its new e-filing system, and around the country, Courthouse News Service (CNS), a nationwide news service, had initiated lawsuits in multiple federal courts challenging county clerks’ filing procedures, challenging either the method by which newly-filed civil complaints were made available, or the processing delay that inhibited reporters’ ability to access the complaints in a timely fashion. In these challenges, CNS advocated for immediate access to newly-filed complaints filed using e-filing systems through the use of a “press queue” that would allow journalists to view new filings right away. After reading the various federal trial court decisions, a handful of Court of Appeals opinions, and conducting general legal research regarding the paramaters of journalists’ access to court proceedings, I provided a recommendation for how NCAOC could consider structuring the new e-filing system with these considerations in mind.

The Center’s grant allowed me to spend the summer in Raleigh at NCAOC, researching and analyzing important issues, such as journalists’ ability to access newly-filed complaints in a timely fashion.

 

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A UNC Student’s Summer Experience at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

By on April 26, 2022 in Center for Media Law and Policy, First Amendment

Each summer, the Center for Media Law and Policy provides financial support through its summer grants program to UNC law and graduate students taking unpaid or low-paying jobs in the fields of media law or media policy. The comments below are from Isabela Palmieri, a dual degree JD/MA student at the UNC School of Law and UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, who interned at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) in summer 2019 and received one of the Center’s grants:

In the summer of 2019, I had the opportunity to work for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. FIRE’s mission is to defend and sustain the individual rights of students and faculty members at America’s colleges and universities. These rights include freedom of speech, freedom of association, due process, legal equality, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience—the essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates students, faculty, alumni, trustees, and the public about the threats to these rights on our campuses, and provides the means to preserve them.  It was founded in 1999 by University of Pennsylvania professor Alan Charles Kors and Boston civil liberties attorney Harvey Silverglate.

While there, I researched and drafted memoranda on legal issues regarding free speech and due process in higher education. I also aided the Individual Rights Defense Program (IRDP) team in writing and editing legal correspondence to individual students, professors, and campus groups whose fundamental civil liberties had been violated. As one of my biggest projects, I drafted a model policy for universities that provided a constitutional and viewpoint-neutral process for the allocation of student fees.

The Center’s grant allowed me to spend the summer in Philadelphia and have an enriching experience at FIRE protecting students’ free speech rights.

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2022 Summer Grants for UNC Law and Graduate Students Working in Media Law and Policy

By on April 13, 2022 in Center for Media Law and Policy

summer-job-pictureAre you a Carolina student interested in pursuing a career in media law or policy?  Are you worried that you won’t be able to take that summer job in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, or Washington, because it’s just too expensive to live there?  Or perhaps you’ll be working remotely from Chapel Hill (or elsewhere) and the job doesn’t pay very much?

Well, the Center for Media Law and Policy is here to help.  The Center’s summer grants program provides funds to UNC law and graduate students taking unpaid or low-paying jobs in the fields of media law or media policy. In past years, UNC students have received a summer grant to support their work at a wide range of organizations, including the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, National Public Radio, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), Future of Privacy Forum, Student Press Law Center, Broadway Video Group, Screen Media Ventures, American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, and Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.

Wait, you don’t have a summer job yet?!  Head over to our media law and policy Jobs Center, where you will find dozens of summer (and post-graduate) employment opportunities. You can easily find the perfect job for you by using our advanced search feature to search by location, keyword, or practice area.  Also, try browsing by job type or category for a more expansive look at the jobs listed. Still not sure what you want to do for the summer?  You can read about the summer experiences of your fellow students on the Center’s blog.

Requirements and Information on How to Apply for a Summer Grant

You must be a UNC law student or graduate student to apply. You will need to download the application form and send it directly to us at medialaw [at] unc.edu along with the other supporting material described below. Please put “Summer Grant Application” in the subject. The deadline for applying for a summer grant is April 30, 2022.

Law students who applied through the law school’s Summer Public Interest Grant Program are also eligible for a Center grant. You do not need to apply to the Center separately. Simply check the box on the general application for “Media Law or Policy” under the heading “Substantive Areas Your Summer Employment Will Involve” and you will be automatically considered for Center funds in addition to the law school grant.

Applications will be evaluated based on (a) your demonstrated commitment to working in the areas of media law or policy (this covers a wide range of subjects, including intellectual property law, privacy law, entertainment law, communications law, and First Amendment law), and (b) the quality of your essays (each essay should not be more than 500 words).

Required documents include:

  1. Resume (without grade information)
  2. Offer letter from your employer
  3. Essays (no more than 500 words each) *

* Essay questions:

  • Essay #1: Describe your work responsibilities and how they relate to media law or media policy.
  • Essay #2: Describe your commitment to public service. How have your past interests and work experiences contributed to your proposed summer internship responsibilities?
  • Essay #3: How do you see this summer work experience contributing to your long-term career goals?

Be sure to check out these Tips for Writing a Strong Grant Application. You will be notified of a decision by the end of May.

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Exciting Summer Job Opportunities for Students on the Media Law Jobs Board

By on March 10, 2022 in Center for Media Law and Policy

One of the many resources the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy offers to law students is our Media Law Jobs Board. The jobs board is updated regularly with full-time jobs, fellowships, post-docs, and seasonal internships in a variety of media law and related fields such as journalism, intellectual property, technology, and business affairs.

For law students who are currently seeking a summer job/internship, there are a number of great media law opportunities available for students interested in litigation, digital civil rights, First Amendment issues, and many more exciting areas of media law! If you’ve already nailed down your summer plans, this list may give you ideas for where to apply next summer or after graduation.

Students who accept unpaid or low-paying summer internships in the fields of media law or media policy may be eligible for a summer grant from the Center—check back soon for information about how to apply for summer funding.

Here are some of the highlights of the summer jobs listed on the jobs board (please remember that you will need to contact these employers directly, we simply post the jobs and are not responsible for hiring): 

  • Summer Legal Internship at University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic
    • The First Amendment Clinic at the University of Georgia School of Law seeks a full-time legal intern to start on or after May 16, 2022 for a 10-week, paid summer position. The Clinic defends and advances the rights of free speech, press, assembly, and petition via direct client representation and advocacy, particularly on behalf of individuals and organizations who cannot afford or do not otherwise have access to counsel with First Amendment expertise. The Clinic also serves as a resource for journalists, students, government employees and members of the public on issues of open access and free expression in order to promote a better-informed citizenry.
  • Summer Legal Internship at the Knight First Amendment Institute 
    • The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University is looking for legal interns for the summer of 2022 to do ground-breaking First Amendment litigation and help us in the early stages of building an exciting new free-speech advocacy and research organization. The Knight First Amendment Institute defends the freedoms of speech and the press in the digital age through strategic litigation, research, and public education. We aim to promote a system of free expression that is open and inclusive, that broadens and elevates public discourse, and that fosters creativity, accountability, and effective self-government.
  • Legal/Public Policy Internship at New America’s Open Technology Institute
    • New America’s Open Technology Institute seeks enthusiastic and motivated current or recent law, graduate, or undergraduate students, with academic or work experience in technology or public policy, for multiple full-time internships during the summer of 2022. We’re looking for people who are passionate about tech policy and eager to learn about complex issues in a rapidly-changing environment. OTI works at the intersection of technology and policy to ensure that every community has equitable access to digital technology and its benefits. 
  • Legal Internship at the First Amendment Foundation
    • The First Amendment Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and advancing Florida’s constitutional right to access government records and meetings, has a remote paid legal internship available for rising 2L and 3L law students. Monthly stipend available. The intern will work closely with the FAF executive director and staff attorney on open government and speech issues. The intern will help develop training on public records and open meetings laws. The intern will have the opportunity to respond to inquiries to the Freedom of Information Helpline from journalists and individuals, assist in litigation in which FAF is involved, and research legislation affecting open government and the First Amendment. The ideal candidate has an interest in public policy, government accountability, freedom of speech and of the press.
  • First Amendment Internship at the Center for Investigative Reporting
    • The CIR is accepting applications for a First Amendment intern in its legal department. Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting engages and empowers the public through investigative journalism and groundbreaking storytelling that sparks action, improves lives and protects our democracy. The intern will work closely with in house and outside counsel.
  • Summer First Amendment Fellowship at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
    • FIRE has revitalized its highly competitive summer law student program to establish the Arthur D. Hellman Fellowship in First Amendment Litigation to train a new generation of First Amendment litigators. The Hellman Fellowship is a paid opportunity offering a $6,000 stipend for a 10-week program that runs from June through August. As a Hellman Fellow, law students will have the opportunity to work with FIRE’s civil rights attorneys, advancing FIRE’s mission to defend freedom of speech, expression, and thought at U.S. colleges and universities. 
  • Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic Summer Fellowship at Yale Law School
    • The Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic at Yale Law School invites applications for summer fellow positions. The summer fellows will assist in all aspects of the Clinic’s ongoing litigation and other activities. The Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic is a law student clinic dedicated to increasing government transparency, defending the essential work of news gatherers, and protecting freedom of expression. It provides pro bono legal services to journalists and news organizations, pursues impact litigation, and develops policy initiatives in support of the Clinic’s mission. 
  • Summer First Amendment Clinic Fellowship at Cornell Law School
    • The First Amendment Clinic at Cornell Law School invites applications for its 2022 Summer Fellowships. The First Amendment Clinic provides law students interested in the fields of freedom of the press, freedom of information, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and where applicable, freedom of religion, with the opportunity to enrich their understanding of these vital rights by working on cutting-edge litigation, advocacy, and policy work. A key component of the Clinic’s efforts will be to support journalists and media outlets in their critical work.
  • Summer Internship at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society Cyberlaw Clinic
    • The Cyberlaw Clinic is hiring summer interns for 2022! Current U.S. JD candidates with an interest in the intersection of tech, law, and social justice are invited to join our dynamic team! Summer legal interns work on all aspects of the Cyberlaw Clinic’s caseload and, like Fall and Spring semester students, take the lead on the projects they join, supported by the Clinic staff. Although Clinic projects vary from summer to summer, they often include substantive law related to the First Amendment, computer security, digital privacy, intellectual property, civic innovation, emerging technologies such as AI, human rights, and media and the arts. Interns will be involved in supporting the Clinic’s ongoing docket and in planning decisions about clients, cases, and topic areas to be addressed in the Clinic’s work during the upcoming academic year. Interns are supervised and mentored by the Cyberlaw Clinic instructors, and are provided with feedback and growth opportunities. 

And, of course, current law students should also reach out to their school’s career offices. UNC students can contact the Career Development Office through My Carolina Law.

Check the board regularly for summer and post-grad opportunities!

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