Full-Time

Legal Fellow

Confirmed live in the last 24 hours

Wikimedia Foundation

Wikimedia Foundation

501-1,000 employees

Operates Wikipedia and free knowledge projects

Social Impact
Education

Compensation Overview

$70.7k - $110.8kAnnually

Entry

Remote in USA

Category
Legal
Intellectual Property (IP)
Legal & Compliance
Requirements
  • High energy for and commitment to the Wikimedia Foundation's free knowledge mission, including an interest in free culture issues, digital rights, open source software, Creative Commons licensing, etc.
  • A good sense of humor and the ability to excel in a fast-paced, multitasking environment that demands fast turn-arounds.
  • Intellectual curiosity and flexibility that makes them enjoy tackling difficult and ambiguous problems in creative ways. Candidates with strong research backgrounds are preferred.
  • Experience working with large online user communities (or at least the desire to). Candidates with experience with wikis or Wikimedia projects are preferred.
  • The ability to flourish in a highly transparent and collaborative environment and work on a team with diverse demographic and cultural characteristics. Multilingual candidates are a plus!
  • Excellent writing skills that can be adapted to communicate complex legal concepts to a large audience with varying (or no) backgrounds in law. Candidates with experience and/or coursework in drafting agreements and/or policies are preferred.
  • Completed coursework in some or all of the following areas of law: internet law, freedom of expression (domestic and international), intellectual property, contract drafting, international law, privacy, data security, and/or licensing. While coursework in these areas is not required, students who have experience in these areas are heavily preferred.
Responsibilities
  • Researching various legal questions
  • Drafting licensing agreements
  • Developing internal and external policies
  • Spearheading individualized projects under the supervision and guidance of an attorney from the Legal Department
  • Attending and participating in internal and external meetings
  • Collaborating on projects
  • Receiving feedback and support
  • Learning about the practical dimensions of practicing law in-house at a web-based company.
Desired Qualifications
  • Being a Wikimedian! (Please share your username in your cover letter.)

The Wikimedia Foundation operates Wikipedia and other free knowledge projects, aiming to create a world where everyone can freely access and share knowledge. It provides a platform for users to read, contribute, and share content, while also supporting the volunteer communities that help maintain these projects. The foundation is funded by donations from individuals and institutions, emphasizing its nonprofit status. Unlike many other organizations, it focuses on making knowledge accessible to all without charge, advocating for policies that support free knowledge initiatives. Its goal is to empower individuals to contribute to and benefit from a collective pool of knowledge.

Company Stage

Grant

Total Funding

$145.9M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2003

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Nvidia's NeMo Retriever tech reduced Wikipedia processing time from 30 days to 3 days.
  • Holistic AI's audit under the DSA enhances Wikimedia's platform safety and accountability.
  • Collaboration with Open Foundation West Africa combats misinformation during Ghana's elections.

What critics are saying

  • Reliance on Nvidia's AI tech may affect Wikimedia's data processing autonomy.
  • DSA audit could reveal vulnerabilities requiring significant resources to address.
  • Decentralized platforms like Mastodon may divert users from Wikipedia.

What makes Wikimedia Foundation unique

  • Wikimedia Foundation operates the world's largest free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
  • It supports a diverse range of projects like Wiktionary and Wikisource.
  • The Foundation is a non-profit, relying on global donations for funding.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Remote Work Options