Program Assistant, Lawyers for Reporters

NYC Bar Association•New York, NY

11d•$55,000 - $60,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Vance Center advances global justice by engaging lawyers across borders to support civil society and an ethically active legal profession. The Vance Center is a unique collaboration of international lawyers catalyzing public interest innovation. A non-profit program of the New York City Bar Association, we bring together leading law firms and other partners worldwide to pioneer international justice initiatives and provide pro bono legal representation to social justice NGOs. In 2025, the Vance Center represented 174 clients in 235 matters, collaborating as co-counsel with 844 lawyers from 164 law firms across 69 countries. PROGRAM FUNCTION The Vance Center launched Lawyers for Reporters in March 2020 to provide pro bono legal representation to early-stage local journalism and other reporting organizations in the United States. Since our establishment in 2020, we have assisted 433 clients in 46 states and D.C. Lawyers for Reporters’ clients include creators and publishers of local and public interest reporting in many media formats, investigative, advocacy, and academic publishers of public interest content, and journalism support organizations. Lawyers for Reporters provides a broad range of advice and representation that news and public interest reporting entities need -- from inception through establishment as functioning reporting entities. Services include corporate, transactional, employment, and regulatory compliance advice, as well as newsroom-related advice. Lawyers for Reporters also advises clients regarding obtaining tax-exempt nonprofit status and in establishing and managing subscriber/membership programs. Based on the successful model of the Vance Center, Lawyers for Reporters works in tandem with lawyers at dozens of law firms around the country in various areas of expertise, all engaged on a pro bono basis. Since its launch, more than 300 lawyers from dozens of law firms have co-counseled with Lawyers for Reporters to serve clients. Among its other activities, Lawyers for Reporters serves as the US/Canada coordinator for Reporters Shield, an international membership program established in 2023 that protects participating investigative reporting organizations from SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). In this role, working closely with Reporters Shield staff, Lawyers for Reporters coordinates the engagement, monitoring and compensation of paid legal counsel to represent Reporters Shield members in the United States and Canada against libel and related legal threats and claims.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
Minimum 2 years relevant experience, preferably in a professional setting/office environment
The ability to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as collaboratively with a team
Strong organizational and project management skills, attention to detail, time-management skills and demonstrated ability to anticipate needs and efficiently multi-task and prioritize workload
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to maintain a courteous and professional demeanor with a diverse range of clients, co-workers, volunteers, and other stakeholders
Strong computer skills, including intermediate knowledge of the Microsoft 360 suite, (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Salesforce, and website management software
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor visas for this position.

Nice To Haves

Experience and/or general knowledge of journalism or nonprofit/public interest legal work.
Experience with the U.S. legal market, including pro bono legal services.
Ability to develop and/or work with legal professionals

Responsibilities

Communicating with potential clients and assisting with client intake meetings and communications
Helping schedule meetings, drafting/circulating agendas and supporting materials
Compiling, organizing, and creating electronic client files
Compiling and organizing detailed KPIs and other data about program activities
Preparing and sending engagement letters to clients and project descriptions to potential co-counsel
Assisting in planning and executing programs and events
Assisting with updating website content and other communications
Other general administrative assistant work
Handling additional responsibilities/special projects as needed

Benefits

generous paid time off (vacation, personal, sick time, holidays including office closure during the last week of the calendar year through New Year’s Day, day off for volunteer work, extra time off in summer)
choice of medical plans (some offered at almost no cost)
dental
vision
eligible for 401K when employment begins (with discretionary employer match up to 3% after 1 year)
life insurance
commuter benefits program
Employee Assistance Program
short-term/long-term disability insurance
free New York City Bar Association membership and CLE programs
employee discounts