The First Amendment Coalition is pleased to welcome Sherene Tagharobi, an attorney and Emmy-nominated former journalist, as its new legal fellow focusing on press freedom and government transparency.
Tagharobi joins FAC from the law firm Nixon Peabody, where she represented individuals and businesses in complex litigation and government investigation matters. She also represented pro bono clients in connection with freedom of information, conservation, immigration, and sex trafficking laws.
“Sherene joins FAC at a crucial juncture, for both the organization and the values we fight for every day,” said FAC Executive Director David Snyder. “Her extensive journalism experience coupled with her legal skills and passion for FAC’s mission make her the ideal person to help our organization grow to tackle the ever-increasing threats to government transparency, free expression, and a free press.”
FAC launched its legal fellow program in 2018 to expand the organization’s ability to promote and defend freedoms of speech and the press, and to enforce the public’s right to know by bringing lawsuits under the California Public Records Act, the federal Freedom of Information Act and other open-government provisions. Tagharobi succeeds veteran First Amendment lawyer Glen Smith as FAC’s second legal fellow, following Smith’s promotion to litigation director.
Tagharobi earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and a dual B.A. from the University of Southern California in Broadcast Journalism and International Relations, as well as a minor certificate in Spanish. During law school, Tagharobi served as a judicial extern for U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner of the Central District of California.
Before law school, Sherene spent six years working as an on-air television news reporter and producer, starting at WILX-TV in Lansing, Michigan before stints at WWMT-TV in West Michigan and KNSD-TV in San Diego. She then worked as a field producer for ABC News, covering the San Bernardino terrorist attack, the 2016 killing of five Dallas police officers, and the “Stairway to Heaven” copyright trial. Tagharobi’s reporting earned an Emmy nomination and a first place award in the investigative/enterprise category from the Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Pro Chapter.
Tagharobi speaks Spanish and Farsi and is a member of the Iranian American Bar Association.