Vance Center Gains Support to Expand Lawyers for Reporters

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First Look Institute provided a grant of $957,000 to the Vance Center to support Lawyers for Reporters, an initiative providing pro bono legal representation to local journalism organizations in the United States. FLI’s Press Freedom Defense Fund has funded LFR since its start two and a half years ago and has also collaborated in assisting clients.

LFR so far has represented 134 clients, mostly local organizations, from 31 states, as well as national outlets focused on social justice issues. The Vance Center based the program on its longtime legal support of international journalism, which includes clients in Latin America, Europe, and Africa, as well as global investigative outlets like the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. As in this international work, LFR has relied on law firms serving as co-counsel: so far 174 lawyers from 27 law firms have participated in one or more client projects. 

The FLI grant will enable the Vance Center to hire a managing director for LFR. Applicants for this position may apply here. LFR also is seeking to hire a staff attorney, for which the job announcement is here.