Legal Fellowships

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

Each year, the Reporters Committee welcomes legal fellows to our Washington, D.C. office. They monitor significant developments in media law, assist staff attorneys responding to legal defense requests from reporters, assist staff attorneys in preparing legal memoranda, litigation materials and friend-of-the-court briefs, and handle other special projects. In addition, fellows write content for our website and for other publications. The work is challenging but rewarding! We are currently accepting applications for the following fellowships:

Jack Nelson-Dow Jones Foundation Legal Fellowship

The Jack Nelson–Dow Jones Foundation Legal Fellowship for a recent law school graduate honors Reporters Committee founder Jack Nelson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who for many years was Washington bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times, and the Dow Jones Foundation, which has been generously supporting the Reporters Committee since 1973. Nelson, who died in 2009, is a former chair of the Executive Committee of the Reporters Committee and served on its Steering Committee for 25 years. The Dow Jones Foundation, established in 1954, supports organizations involved with journalism and press freedom, literacy and education as well as arts and culture.

The Jack Nelson–Dow Jones Foundation Legal Fellow focuses on state and federal freedom of information law. The fellow can expect to participate in many aspects of trial and appellate court litigation handled by Reporters Committee attorneys in these areas, including the filing of open records requests, motion practice, discovery, brief writing, and hearing/oral argument preparation. The fellow will also have an opportunity to contribute to RCFP’s amicus and policy work and to assist in responding to inquiries from journalists and news organizations on FOI law.

The salary for this position is $70,000 per year, with fully paid health insurance, paid time off, 401k and other benefits.

Media Law Fellowship

The Media Law Fellowship is a one-year fellowship that focuses on First Amendment issues, primarily involving libel, invasion of privacy, and protection of confidential sources and materials.

The salary for this position is $70,000 per year, with fully paid health insurance, paid time off, 401k and other benefits.

E.W. Scripps Legal Fellowship

The E.W. Scripps Legal Fellowship is a two-year fellowship that focuses on supporting local enterprise and investigative journalism, bolstering access to public records and encouraging greater government transparency.

The E.W. Scripps Legal Fellowship is an exciting opportunity for an early-career lawyer to play a hands-on role in the full scope of First Amendment and free press litigation matters handled by Reporters Committee attorneys. The E.W. Scripps Legal Fellow will report directly to our Legal Director and work on small litigation teams with other legal fellows and Reporters Committee staff attorneys on a variety of First Amendment and media law cases, with a focus on assisting with access to courts and freedom of information litigation brought on behalf of journalists and news organizations.

The E.W. Scripps Legal Fellow will participate in all aspects of litigation at both the trial and appellate level, including motion practice, discovery, brief writing, and hearing/oral argument preparation.

Candidates for this challenging and rewarding two-year fellowship should have a demonstrated interest in the First Amendment and media law. Post-law school judicial clerkship, fellowship, and/or litigation experience with a law firm or public interest organization is strongly preferred. However, recent law school graduates with strong credentials will be considered. Applicants should be admitted to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction or awaiting bar exam results/admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction at the start of the fellowship term. Applicants who are not members of the D.C. Bar will be required to seek admission.

The salary for this position is $80,000 per year, with fully paid health insurance, paid time off, 401k and other benefits.

• J.D. from accredited law school; must be admitted to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction or awaiting bar exam results/admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction at the start of employment;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Good judgment and the highest level of professional integrity.

To Apply

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, contact information for three references, a legal writing sample, and a copy of your most recent law school transcript. Applicants interested in multiple fellowships should submit one application and indicate a fellowship preference in their cover letter. Only complete applications will progress forward in the hiring process. 

In addition to accepting applications submitted directly to the Reporters Committee through SmartRecruiters, RCFP receives applications submitted through Equal Justice Works. Those who apply for a Reporters Committee legal fellowship through Equal Justice Works are not required to submit a separate application through SmartRecruiters. 

Applications are open through October 15 for the following year. 

 Please note: the Reporters Committee does not sponsor work visas or cover relocation costs. All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

RCFP is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at RCFP are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, ethnicity, age, religion or belief, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. RCFP will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.