Senior Counsel, Media Law and Litigation

About the role

The New York Times Company is seeking an attorney with 10+ years of experience to join our legal department. You will play a key role in the company's media law and litigation, handling all aspects of media law and litigation, including matters related to libel, newsgathering, intellectual property, and freedom of information. Because the department handles much of its pre-publication review and litigation in-house, the position requires someone with the ability to independently handle vetting and litigation. The legal department of The New York Times works closely with teams throughout the company on a wide range of legal and compliance matters. We are built around a mission of helping readers understand a fast-changing world and providing the original reporting that forms the bedrock of a healthy, informed, engaged society. Our unwavering commitment to our profession's highest ideals and our leadership in creating new ways to tell digital stories has made The Times the most read, most awarded and most innovative news organization in the United States. The position is based in New York with the expectation that the attorney will be in the office at least three days a week. Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter as a single PDF on or before May 20, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Counsel journalists, business teams and leadership on legal issues related to newsgathering, access to information, libel, intellectual property, AI and privacy.
• Independently handle time-sensitive pre-publication review of articles, videos, and other content.
• Litigate media law matters including freedom of information, copyright, and libel cases.
• Support the company's government affairs initiatives, including by developing positions on strategic issues of concern to The Times, engaging with stakeholders and trade associations, and monitoring global political and legislative developments.
• Respond to threatened subpoenas, lawsuits, and other legal actions against the company.
• Conduct timely in-house training and presentations on matters affecting our journalism.
• Support our commercial lawyers on threatened and active litigation.
• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience handling complex, time-sensitive litigation matters involving libel, intellectual property, freedom of information, and commercial law.
• Undergraduate and J.D. degrees from recognized institutions.
• Admitted and in good standing with the New York Bar.
• Experience conducting pre-publication review of news and other content.
• Outstanding legal research and writing skills.
• Excellent communications skills.
• Good judgment and a high level of professional integrity.
• Prior in-house experience at a media law company.
• Prior experience counseling journalists.
• Familiarity with international media law.
• An understanding of digital platforms and legal issues related to artificial intelligence.
• REQ-020097
• The annual base pay range for this role is between:
• $230,000 - $250,000 USD
• For roles outside of the U.S., information on benefits will be provided during the interview process.

Benefits

Additional Information

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It's why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It's why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it's why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it's worth paying for.

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