Program Assistant, Lawyers for Reporters

newyorkcitybarassociation; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Competitive benefits package

NYC Bar Association membership

Job summary

The Program Assistant, Lawyers for Reporters, reports to the Managing Attorney and collaborates with a team of five professionals in the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice.

This hybrid in Midtown, NY role supports pro bono legal work for local journalism and reporting organizations, including intake, scheduling, and file management. The position requires a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent), at least two years of relevant experience, strong organizational and communication skills,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 2 years relevant experience.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a team.
• Strong organizational and project management skills; attention to detail and prioritization.
• Excellent verbal and written communication with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and website management tools.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with potential clients and assist with intake meetings.
• Schedule meetings and draft agendas and materials.
• Organize electronic client files and compile KPIs.
• Prepare and send engagement letters and project descriptions.
• Assist in planning and executing programs and events.
• Update website content and other communications.
• Perform general administrative tasks and special projects.

Skills

Independent work

Team collaboration

Organization & PM

Verbal & written communication

Microsoft 365 & Salesforce

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft 365

Website management software

Job description

Program Assistant, Lawyers for Reporters

Department: Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice

Reports to: Managing Attorney

Location: Hybrid (Midtown, NY)

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

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 193 clients in 300 pro bono matters, collaborating as co-counsel with more than 1450 lawyers from 150 law firms across 60 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.

JOB FUNCTION

The Program Assistant, reporting to the Managing Attorney, will collaborate with a team of five professionals and help manage their workflow through:

• 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

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND 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

Additional Experience Preferred

• 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

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor visas for this position.

This position will have a hybrid work schedule, with three (3) in-person days required per week.

The annualized salary for this role is in the $55,000-$60,000 range based on a 35-hour work week, plus additional pay for hours worked over 35 each week. We provide a competitive benefits package including 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, and more!

We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and unique experiences to apply. We welcome diversity of all kinds. It is the policy of the City Bar to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record, pregnancy, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, marital status, partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, religion, sex, genetic information, military status, unemployment status or any other characteristic as protected by law. With regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws, the organization will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for persons due to their religious beliefs, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition or because the individual was a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking.