Description
Description:
The Yale Information Society Project is now accepting applications for an Abrams Clinical Fellowship, beginning in July 2020. The Abrams Clinical Fellow will be a member of the Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic (MFIA), a law student clinic whose mission is to support robust investigative journalism, promote the public’s right of access to information, and protect freedom of expression.
Founded in 2009, MFIA was the first law school clinic dedicated to defending the rights of newsgatherers and promoting government transparency. It evolved out of the recognition that new technologies were forcing radical changes on the media market and leaving established news organizations in sufficiently precarious financial condition that they could neither afford to pursue the affirmative litigation essential to effective newsgathering nor vigorously fight efforts by governments and others to unmask confidential sources and prevent whistleblowing.
MFIA helps to fill these gaps by providing pro bono legal services to journalists, activists and academics who lack access to the legal service needed to exercise their First Amendment rights and to hold governments accountable. The Clinic advises on prepublication issues, pursues affirmative litigation to compel access to information and to enforce newsgathering rights, and defends against lawsuits seeking to punish newsworthy publications. MFIA also develops and implements litigation strategies and policy initiatives for achieving structural change in the rules governing government transparency and accountability.
MFIA seeks candidates for this position with at least two years of relevant experience who are interested in pursuing a career in litigation or public advocacy on issues surrounding digital age free expression and transparency within government, at a non-governmental organization, or as a law school clinical professor.
The Abrams Fellow will work closely with the Clinic’s team of litigators, which currently includes Clinic Director David Schulz and three full-time Fellows. The fellowship provides the opportunity to gain hands-on experience litigating cutting edge issues, to supervise and teach law students, to work on legal scholarship, and to participate in the intellectual life of the Yale ISP. The duties of the Abrams Fellow include:
- Assuming overall responsibility for selected cases on the MFIA docket and supervising Yale Law School students in the Clinic;
- Assisting the Clinic’s intake process and shaping its docket;
- Teaching several substantive and skill-based classes to students as part of the Clinic’s weekly seminar;
- Supervising summer law student interns at the Clinic and covering Clinic cases during semester breaks;
- Coordinating the Freedom of Expression Scholars Conference hosted each Spring by the Abrams Institute;
- Engaging in the scholarly activities of the ISP, which include regular academic lunches, workshops, conferences, and talks.
Fellows must live in the New Haven area during their fellowship. The fellowship starts on July 1 and lasts for one year, renewable for a second year. The salary for the Abrams Fellow will be $75,000. Fellows also receive Yale health benefits and access to university facilities, as well as a travel budget for academic and clinic conferences.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have at least two years relevant litigation experience, including some demonstrated interest in the fields of media law, First Amendment, FOIA, Internet law, administrative law, or intellectual property law.
Application Info:
Applications should be submitted by February 1, 2020. Applications should include:
- A one to five-page statement describing the applicant’s interest in the fellowship, relevant practice experience, and career goals;
- A copy of the applicant’s resume;
- A law school transcript; and
- At least one sample of recent legal writing, preferably a brief or memorandum.
Application materials should be sent (in electronic form) to Heather Branch at heather.branch@yale.edu.
Application:
Interested applicants can view the posting here.
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