Legal Research Director
About The Position
Tracking key voting and election cases is at the heart of Democracy Docket’s mission. The Legal Research Director leads the team responsible for the legal research and case tracking that powers much of Democracy Docket’s content—across news, newsletters, social media, and video. This role calls for a legal expert who is deeply fluent in voting rights and election law and genuinely energized by following cases closely, reading filings, and understanding exactly what is unfolding in the courts. Just as important is the ability to translate that depth into coverage that makes complex litigation accessible and meaningful to a broad audience -- helping people understand not just what is happening, but why it matters for their lives and their vote.
Requirements
- A J.D. is required.
- Deep knowledge of voting rights, election law, and related litigation.
- Strong understanding of the relationship between legal developments and the political landscape.
- A news instinct and ability to recognize the story in any court filing or legal development.
- Experience managing or mentoring a team.
- Ability to work quickly and accurately in a fast-paced, news-driven environment.
- Exceptional ability to translate complex legal concepts for non-expert audiences.
- Strong writing and editing skills.
- Familiarity with court docket tracking tools and legal databases.
Nice To Haves
- Comfort on camera for video and social content a plus!
Responsibilities
- Lead and supervise a team of researchers tracking voting rights, redistricting, and democracy-related litigation nationwide.
- Shape content strategy related to voting rights and election litigation across platforms and formats.
- Keep Democracy Docket staff informed and coordinated on case developments, including new filings, major rulings, and other significant updates.
- Work across teams to provide educational support to staff to deepen their understanding of the courts and litigation, through training and briefings on legal concepts and litigation trends.
- Own and maintain Democracy Docket’s case database—maintaining its accuracy, streamlining tracking workflows, and ensuring the research team operates efficiently.
- Create dashboards, automations and data reports in Airtable to share with staff across the organization.
- Provide daily summaries of upcoming court dates and briefings in election litigation.
- Analyze litigation trends and takeaways using data from our case database; compile the data and related information for distribution as needed.
- Read, analyze, and synthesize court documents—complaints, briefs, decisions, and more—distilling key information into clear, accessible language for both internal teams and public audiences.
- Monitor media and legal sources for new lawsuits, litigation updates, and broader trends related to democracy and voting rights.
- Stay current on all voting rights and election litigation moving through the courts.
- Respond/manage research requests from staff across the organization.
- Edit all litigation-related content—news articles, newsletters, video scripts, and social media posts—for accuracy, clarity, and framing.
- Collaborate with the news and social media teams on litigation-related content, serving as the editorial authority on legal accuracy and framing.
- Ensure Research team is flagging and pitching developments on the docket that can be turned into news stories.
- Write news stories or analysis pieces as needed, including a monthly newsletter on the key voting rights and redistricting cases.
- Appear on camera for Democracy Docket’s YouTube and social channels to explain key legal developments, as needed.
Benefits
- Merit-based annual bonus eligibility
- 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for employees
- 401(k) with 6% company match, available after 3 months
- Commuter benefits to help with your daily travel
- Generous paid time off, including: 18 days of PTO per year (increasing with tenure), 10 paid Health & Wellness days annually, 2 paid personal days annually
- 11 paid holidays, observed per company policy
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
