Managing Editor, Legal Coverage (Digital Media / News)

Mediabistro; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

401(k) with employer match

Generous vacation

Commuter benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Mediabistro in Washington, D.C. is seeking a Managing Editor to lead its legal coverage. Reporting to the Managing Editor, you will guide editorial direction, oversee day-to-day coverage, commission and edit articles and newsletters, and manage a team of producers, reporters, and contributors in our DC office.

This role focuses on the rule of law, the independence of the courts, and accountability for those in power, with responsibilities spanning shows, video, and cross-platform storytelling.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in journalism with significant experience editing coverage of law, the courts, or the justice system.
• Hands-on line and copy editor who can sharpen arguments and meet deadlines.
• Experience managing people, ideally a mixed team of writers and producers.
• Fluent in how video and podcasts work today, with knowledge of what makes a show grow on YouTube and how clips travel on social media.
• Ability to share ownership of shows with network-wide video and production leads.
• Sharp news judgment with ability to explain complex legal developments to a general audience without oversimplifying.
• Track record of growing an audience for a newsletter, show, or section.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and building process as the team grows.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing coverage of the most important legal issues facing democracy, including issues related to the rule of law and accountability.
• Helping translate legal developments for a smart, engaged, and curious lay audience.
• Applying the publication’s established style to legal coverage.
• Making daily coverage calls and deciding where coverage should go deeper.
• Owning the publishing calendar for legal coverage across newsletters, articles, and video.
• Editing drafts from staff writers and contributors, from fast-turn analyses of breaking news to deeper reporting.
• Assigning stories, identifying and working with outside contributors, and holding copy to high standards for accuracy, clarity, fairness, and liveliness.
• Following and helping refine editing, legal review, and fact-checking processes.
• Guiding the editorial direction of legal shows by offering ideas for topics, guests, and segments, ensuring each program has a distinct voice, and coordinating across shows.
• Partnering with the Head of Shows and Head of Video, who lead production, scheduling, and standards.
• Working with show producers and hosts to coordinate shows with written coverage.
• Helping identify moments that can travel as short-form clips on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms.

Skills

Editorial leadership

Editing

People management

Video & podcasts

Deadline-driven

Audience growth

News judgment

Copy editing

Tools

Video workflows

Job description

Washington, D.C. (On-Site) | Full-Time

About the Role

A profitable, audience-supported digital media company with more than one million subscribers across newsletters, podcasts, video, live events, and memberships is hiring a Managing Editor to lead its legal coverage. The publication is known for sharp, honest coverage of the forces shaping American democracy and is now investing in a dedicated team to cover fights over the rule of law, the independence of the courts, and accountability for those in power.

Reporting to the Managing Editor, this editor will guide the editorial direction for legal coverage and run it day to day, working with the editorial team and video production team. The role involves commissioning and editing articles and newsletters, overseeing law-related video programming, and managing a team that includes producers, reporters, and contributors. The position is based in the publication’s D.C. office, five days a week.

What the Role Covers

Editorial Leadership

• Overseeing coverage of the most important legal issues facing democracy, including issues related to the rule of law and accountability
• Helping translate legal developments for a smart, engaged, and curious lay audience
• Applying the publication’s established style to legal coverage
• Making daily coverage calls and deciding where coverage should go deeper
• Owning the publishing calendar for legal coverage across newsletters, articles, and video

Articles and Newsletters

• Editing drafts from staff writers and contributors, from fast-turn analyses of breaking news to deeper reporting
• Assigning stories, identifying and working with outside contributors, and holding copy to high standards for accuracy, clarity, fairness, and liveliness
• Following and helping refine editing, legal review, and fact-checking processes

Shows

• Guiding the editorial direction of legal shows by offering ideas for topics, guests, and segments, ensuring each program has a distinct voice, and coordinating across shows
• Partnering with the Head of Shows and Head of Video, who lead production, scheduling, and standards
• Working with show producers and hosts to coordinate shows with written coverage
• Helping identify moments that can travel as short-form clips on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms

Qualifications

• 8+ years in journalism with significant experience editing coverage of law, the courts, or the justice system
• Strong, hands-on line and copy editor who can sharpen arguments, tighten copy, and turn around clean edits on deadline
• Experience managing people, ideally a mixed team of writers and producers
• Fluent in how video and podcasts work today, with knowledge of what makes a show grow on YouTube and how clips travel on social media
• Ability to share ownership of shows with network-wide video and production leads
• Sharp news judgment with ability to explain complex legal developments to a general audience without oversimplifying
• Track record of growing an audience for a newsletter, show, or section
• Comfortable with ambiguity and building process as the team grows

Additional Details

Compensation is competitive. Benefits include full employer-sponsored health plans, 401(k) with employer match, generous vacation and paid time off, commuter benefits, and an Employee Assistance Program. The team works together in person five days a week at the D.C. office.