Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Founded in 1970, we are a nonprofit that provides free legal resources to protect journalists’ First Amendment freedoms and newsgathering rights. We operate a ²⁴⁄₇ Legal Defense Hotline to help journalists and media lawyers.

Our attorneys file amicus briefs and statements of support in court cases. We also represent journalists and news organizations pro bono in cases about First Amendment freedoms and newsgathering.

We offer free resources on media law topics, such as open government, reporter shield laws, access to court documents and proceedings, privacy, newsgathering, and content regulation. We also provide trainings to help news organizations, freelance journalists, and documentary filmmakers understand legal issues.

We train future media lawyers through fellowships and internships. Our legal services include direct litigation, reporting resources and legal guides like the First Amendment Handbook, and newsroom trainings and pre-publication reviews for investigative stories. We also advocate for policies like anti-SLAPP protections, federal source protections, and open records provisions.

Our Local Legal Initiative places in-state attorneys in Colorado, Indiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee to offer direct legal services to local news organizations. We plan to expand this initiative to Louisiana and Mississippi. Our ProJourn program connects journalists with pro bono attorneys from outside firms for help with public records, pre-publication reviews, and business legal needs. We specialize in Media Law, First Amendment, Libel, Freedom of Information, Prior Restraints, Reporters Privilege, Court Access, Privacy, and Newsgathering.

We advocate for journalists’ newsgathering rights and the First Amendment, working to advance press freedom and protect democracy. Our work involves defending journalists in court, advocating for open records and greater transparency, and promoting press freedom protections nationwide.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourage applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities, people of color, people of all ages, and gender nonconforming candidates. As an equal opportunity employer, we prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. We make employment decisions based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, age, religion or belief, family or parental status, or other protected characteristics.

We have a team of 11 to 50 employees. Our culture emphasizes diversity and inclusion. As an equal opportunity employer, we actively promote a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We encourage a broad range of candidates to apply, including women, veterans, people with disabilities, people of color, and individuals of all ages and gender identities. Employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications.

We offer comprehensive benefits packages for our full-time employees. These include 18 weeks of paid parental leave. After one year of service, employees are eligible for up to 24 weeks of leave through our parental leave policy.