By NYU Staff

This article from WebProNews announces a significant resource for online journalists, bloggers and freelancers looking for legal help. Many legal problems can arise for freelancers, from libel allegations to litigious clients. Without significant assets, it can be daunting to face any legal challenge, but even more terrifying to do so without a lawyer to explain the situation.

So the Online Media Legal Network is providing bloggers, freelancers and online journalists – those without a media outlet to back them up – with free legal assistance. The list of representation is impressive, with well-known law firms and clinics from the best law schools.

According to its website, the OMLN was started to serve “online ventures” that “lack the expertise and financial resources to thrive in an uncertain legal environment and are in need of pro bono legal assistance.”

There are qualifications for receiving OMLN aid, but many freelancers could fall under the coverage umbrella, since the gross income maximum for individuals is $45,000 and $75,000 in household income for married individuals. For-profit businesses must make $100,000 or less and non-profits must make $250,000 or less. Good news for those who have been luckier in freelance fortunes – you may still be able to hire top legal help at a reduced rate.

The network, which runs on a donation-basis, will handle everything from litigation to business structuring. Only U.S. law is covered for now.

This is a great idea, somewhat akin to the Student Press Law Center that is available to student journalists. It should help cut down on unwarranted law suits against bloggers and freelancers. (Check out a great resource, called “Lawsuits Involving Blogs,” maintained by the same organization launching OMLN, the Citizen Media Law Project at Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University)

Again, this is another step that further supports the new forms of journalism that have gained in popularity in the last few years.