New initiative at the Center for New York City and State Law will provide space, resources, and institutional support for journalists and provide new opportunities for students and faculty to learn and contribute
New York Law School today announced the launch of the New York Independent Journalism Project, a new initiative of the Center for New York City and State Law that supports independent journalism as a civic good and strengthens public understanding of New York City and State government, law, and policy.
The Project addresses the evolving challenges faced by journalists working outside traditional news institutions and those developing collaborative projects. By providing institutional support, convenings, and access to legal and policy expertise, it aims to sustain rigorous, independent reporting and analysis on public affairs.
“New York Law School and the Center for New York City and State Law are deeply committed to supporting public service through increasing civic engagement and understanding,” said Anthony Crowell, Dean and President and Director of the Center for New York City and State Law, “Our 135 year history of strengthening civic life means we have a responsibility to ensure more New Yorkers have access to substantive information about state and local law, policy, and governance. Establishing the Independent Journalism Project and supporting journalists in New York is central to that mission and we know that access to trustworthy, independent information is essential to self-government.”
The New York Independent Journalism Project will be coordinated by Ben Max, Executive Editor and Program Director of the Center for New York City and State Law, who also serves as Journalist in Residence and Adjunct Professor at New York Law School. He hosts the Max Politics podcast and collaborates with many other journalists in a variety of projects and settings. In this role, he will facilitate collaboration among journalists, oversee Project programming, and ensure that all activities remain consistent with the Project’s commitment to journalistic independence and public value.
Through discussions, workshops, and forums, the Project will also bring together independent journalists to examine New York City and State governance, public affairs, and the role of journalism in civic life, while offering space and infrastructure for collaboration, idea-sharing, and the development of best practices that promote civic engagement. The Project will support the publication of reporting, analysis, podcasts, books, policy papers, and other journalistic products.
Initial affiliated projects include The New York Editorial Board, a collective of veteran journalists conducting in-depth interviews with policymakers; the FAQ NYC Podcast Network, a project of non-profit investigative newsroom THE CITY focused on New York politics and culture; Gigging Alone, an upcoming book on the gig economy by journalist and New York Law School Senior Fellow Mark Chiusano, to be published by Simon & Schuster in 2027; and A History of Latino Politics in New York, an upcoming book by scholar Eli Valentin to be published by Palgrave Macmillan.
Additional projects will be supported over time, with funding provided through dedicated fundraising. An advisory board will assist the Project coordinator in building program capacity and determining when new affiliated projects can be accommodated.
“The Independent Journalism Project is the latest expansion of the civic engagement work done over decades by New York Law School’s Center for New York City and State Law,” said Ben Max, Project coordinator. “Journalists focused on New York civic affairs help ensure a more accountable government and a better-informed public, and we are excited to offer support so more of that essential work can be done.”
“We launched the New York Editorial Board because substantive, independent journalism is vital to New York’s civic life,” said Ben Smith, co-founder of Semafor and a longtime New York journalist who led the formation of the New York Editorial Board. “New York Law School’s new program will help expand the Board’s ambition and play a crucial role in the city’s civic health.”
In addition to supporting independent journalists and collaborative projects among journalists affiliated with news organizations, the Project will create opportunities for New York Law School students and faculty to engage with leading practitioners shaping civic discourse and democratic participation, including projects through NYLS’s Legal Journalism course. The initiative advances the Center’s broader mission making governance and the policy- and law-making processes in New York more transparent and understandable through public programs, written publications, and podcasts that showcase the work of policymakers, scholars, journalists, and other thought leaders.
About the Center for New York City and State Law at New York Law School
Founded in 1994 by Professor Ross Sandler, New York Law School’s Center for New York City and State Law is a unique civic engagement hub providing exploration, explanation, and analysis of New York government, law, and policy. It sponsors public programming throughout the year, including CityLaw Breakfasts and Policy Briefings that feature high-level elected and appointed officials; publishes reporting and analysis in its CityLand and CityLaw publications; produces the Max Politics podcast on New York civic affairs; and is home to the New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute.