Legal Journalism provides the opportunity to write and publish news articles and commentary on current legal issues. Articles and news reports written by students will be published in the Center for New York City Law’s publications: CityLaw, a print publication, CityLand, an electronic blog, and CityRegs, an emailed newsletter. Readership for the three publications approximates 20,000 each month. Students will meet weekly with Professors Ross Sandler and Brian Kaszuba to review assignments and work on editing, style and content. The seminar will concentrate on the techniques and tools used in journalism. The seminar will also cover the scope and structure of New York City government, and the City’s administrative processes. Because the Center publishes year round, including the summer, we could accommodate students during the summer and also during vacation periods. Students will be assigned beats so that they can concentrate on a subject area, get to know the personalities and attend relevant hearings and proceedings. The New York City land use agencies, the city council, and other agencies conduct business year round, which facilitates beat assignments. The course will be offered for one credit each semester.

This upper-level writing course provides students with the opportunity to write and publish news articles and commentary on current legal issues. Students work independently on their writing and have weekly meetings with the professors. In addition to independent work, students participate in a seminar that introduces students to the scope and structure of New York City government, and the City’s administrative processes.

Recommended for the following Professional Pathways: Government/Public Sector; Labor and Employment; Real Estate and Land Use; Law Through a Different Lens – Journalism

1 Credit