Legal Reporter
$80,000–$92,000 year
HybridWashington, District of Columbia, United States or Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Job Summary
Legal Reporter for Democracy Docket to produce original, timely stories on voting-rights and election litigation. Responsibilities include pitching and writing across formats (breaking news, quick-turns, Day 2 analyses, explainers, deeper-dives), reviewing court filings to extract arguments and angles (including anti-voting actor strategies and DOJ), collaborating with Research and Senior Legal Editor, developing a network of sources (voting rights advocates, election law experts, election administrators), producing additional content with Social, Video and Product teams, and appearing on external podcasts or media to promote reporting. Possible travel for on-the-ground coverage of elections disputes and court proceedings. Office locations in Washington, D.C. or Jersey City with hybrid schedule (remote Mondays and Fridays; in-office Tuesdays–Thursdays).
Required Qualifications
- Deep experience covering political and policy issues in the courts
- Proven track record of breaking legal news and/or producing stories with unique, original angles
- Strong grasp of legal procedure and of key concepts in election law
- Ability to write clearly and concisely on a tight deadline
- Instinct for finding the story others miss, including by highlighting revealing details hidden in filings
- Willingness to juggle multiple projects, to adjust plans in response to breaking news, and to pitch in as part of a team
Desired Qualifications
- Experience covering political and policy issues in the courts
- Proven track record of breaking legal news or producing stories with unique angles
- Strong grasp of legal procedure and election law concepts
- Ability to write clearly and concisely on a tight deadline
- Ability to identify revealing details in filings
- Willingness to juggle multiple projects and collaborate with a team
- Interest in pro-democracy journalism and voting rights topics
- Experience appearing on external podcasts or media as a representative of a newsroom
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