Audit your legal readiness with our Legal Checkup
ProJourn Legal Checkup
Ensuring that your reporting work is legally sound is the first step in your legal journey with us.
For newsrooms or independent journalists, operating safely and sustainably in business is just as important as identifying and responding to legal challenges in reporting.
ProJourn launched its 1:1 Legal Checkups in November 2024 after several newsroom clients expressed concern over potential legal threats. In addition to the legal areas covered below, ProJourn conducts a brief survey of safety-related needs and refers news organizations and independent journalists out to its partner organizations, including the International Women’s Media Foundation, PEN America, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
ProJourn facilitates legal checkups for both news organizations and independent journalists.
For News Organizations
When news organizations enroll in ProJourn, they will have access to a 1:1 Legal Checkup with a team of attorneys. This personalized session will assess organizations’ legal health based on a comprehensive checklist developed with the support of Davis Wright Tremaine. The legal areas covered by our checklist are as follows:
Business Models
Corporate Governance
Contracts
Fundraising & Tax
Employment
Media Liability
Intellectual Property
Data & Privacy
For Independent Journalists
Independent journalists who enroll in ProJourn have access to a 1:1 Legal Checkup with a team of attorneys who will address potential legal needs such as copyright guidance, review of freelancers contracts and AI-related legal implications. The legal areas covered by our checklist are as follows:
Business & Structure
Tax, Insurance, freelance contract, licensing terms, etc
Newsgathering
FOIA, prepublication review, etc
Intellectual property, data protection, privacy
Use of AI guidelines, privacy policy, social media policy, etc
Legal Threats, Safety and Security
ProJourn Review Process
After the checkup, the ProJourn team reviews the intake information and identifies your legal needs listed in order of priority. Once the news organization has confirmed this order of priority, the ProJourn team will begin contacting pro bono attorneys to match their legal needs staggered, according to their priority order.
The ProJourn team will work with each news organization and independent journalist to ensure they take care of their legal needs in a strategic and non-overwhelming manner.