If  you are an online journalist, blogger, or other digital media creator and your online venture is in need of legal assistance, the Citizen Media Law Project may be able to connecting you with lawyers who provide pro bono and reduced-fee legal assistance through the Online Media Legal Network (OMLN).

The attorneys that participate in the network have expertise in media, intellectual property and business law, and since its launch in 2009, OMLN has helped clients obtain defense counsel in litigation, pre-publication legal review, and media and intellectual property counseling. OMLN has also helped startup enterprises obain the assistance they need to form a new entity and draft agreements with partners, independent contractors and freelancers. Lawyers in the network have also helped clients understand evolving fair use and intellectual property issues.

Specific newsgathering support that OMLN provides includes:

• Preparing and submitting records requests to government agencies (e.g., FOIA and state open records laws).
• Counseling on rights under state open meeting laws.
• Counseling on access to court proceedings and documents.
• Counseling and assistance in acquiring press credentials.

Prospective clients must meet our eligibility requirements, detailed here. If you feel that you meet these requirements, we encourage you to request legal assistance through OMLN by filling out and returning the OMLN intake form at this website.