Legal Fellow, Transparency in Government – NPR

Description:

NPR seeks an outstanding recent law school graduate with an interest in First Amendment and media law to serve as its first Transparency in Government Legal Fellow. Under the guidance of NPR staff lawyers, the Transparency in Government Legal Fellow will work journalists at NPR to obtain access to public records that shed light on the operations of government.

The Legal Fellow will help reporters craft requests for records under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and state public records laws, appeal inappropriate denials, request access to court records, and work with NPR staff lawyers and outside counsel in litigating FOIA, state public records act, and court-access cases. Time permitting, the Legal Fellow may also assist NPR staff lawyers on other media law matters, such as pre-publication review, counseling reporters on newsgathering, copyright, and First Amendment issues, defending content-related suits, and negotiating content-related agreements.

This is a full-time, 2-year fellowship that will begin in August or early September of 2020. The Legal Fellow will be paid $75,000 per year, plus benefits, including paid vacation.

The fellow's duties will include:

• Work with NPR journalists to request access to records under the federal Freedom of Information Act and state public records laws;
• Work with NPR staff attorneys and outside counsel to prepare appeals from inappropriate denials of such requests;
• Track federal FOIA and state public records requests and appeals across the NPR newsroom and the newsrooms of NPR Member stations engaged with NPR in collaborative reporting projects;
• Work with NPR staff attorneys and outside counsel to pursue FOIA, state public records act, and court-access litigation, and, time permitting, to defend content-related lawsuits against NPR and NPR journalists;
• Conduct legal research and advise NPR legal colleagues and reporters on FOIA, state public records act, court-access, and other media law issues;
• Prepare memoranda, presentations, and other materials for internal and external audiences; and
• Prepare training materials and work with staff lawyers and newsroom leaders to train journalists in effective use of FOIA and state public records laws.

Qualifications:

• Outstanding academic credentials, including a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school earned by June 2020
• Bar membership in good standing in the District of Columbia, or eligibility to waive into the DC bar, by January 2021
• Demonstrated interest in, and knowledge of, the federal Freedom of Information Act, state public records laws, court-access law, and media law, generally;
• Superb oral and written communications skills, high ethical and professional standards, a commitment to journalism, and good  judgment;
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects, to set and adjust priorities, and to work under pressure.

Application Info:

The application must include a resume and a cover letter.

Application:

Interested applicants can view the posting here.