Legal Fellow (Fall 2026)

Overview

This legal fellowship program offers current law students or recent law graduates an immersive in-house experience focused on Internet law and free knowledge organizations. Fellows will gain specific education and training while working on a variety of legal issues related to copyright, freedom of expression, mobile development, and corporate compliance.

Responsibilities

• Undertake challenging legal projects tailored to individual interests and strengths, including research, drafting licensing agreements, and developing policies.
• Lead assigned projects under the supervision and guidance of an attorney from the Legal Department.
• Participate in internal and external meetings, collaborate on projects, and receive feedback to learn practical aspects of in-house legal practice at a web-based organization.
• Work closely with supervising attorneys to develop legal skills and knowledge.
• Coordinate with academic institutions when possible to facilitate earning academic credits or funding for the fellowship.

Fellowship Duration

• Fall and Spring fellowships: 18 weeks
• Summer fellowships: 12 weeks

Requirements

• Strong commitment to the mission of free knowledge, with interest in free culture, digital rights, open source software, and Creative Commons licensing.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multitasking environment with quick turnarounds.
• Intellectual curiosity and flexibility to creatively address difficult and ambiguous problems; strong research skills preferred.
• Experience or interest in working with large online user communities; experience with wikis or Wikimedia projects is preferred.
• Ability to work effectively in a transparent, collaborative environment with diverse teams; multilingual candidates are a plus.
• Excellent writing skills capable of communicating complex legal concepts to varied audiences; experience or coursework in drafting agreements or policies is preferred.
• Completed coursework in areas such as internet law, freedom of expression (domestic and international), intellectual property, contract drafting, international law, privacy, data security, and/or licensing is heavily preferred but not required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience as a contributor to Wikimedia projects (applicants are encouraged to share their username in their cover letter).

Compensation & Benefits

• The anticipated annual pay range for applicants based in the United States is $34.99 to $53.30 per hour, with the exact rate determined by skills, experience, and location.
• For applicants outside the US, pay will be adjusted according to the country of hire.
• Salaries are competitive, equitable, and consistent with organizational values.

Location

• This is a remote-first position.
• Hiring is currently limited to applicants located in the following US states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
• International hiring is open to candidates in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
• Non-US employees are hired through a local third-party Employer of Record and must have current work authorization in their location.

Equal Opportunity

The organization is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. It does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Accessibility

Applicants requiring accommodations during the application process due to disability are encouraged to request assistance.