Legal Research Director – Voting Rights Litigation

Job Description

Legal Research Director | Democracy Docket

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Democracy Docket, located in Washington, D.C. or Jersey City. Democracy Docket is the leading pro-democracy, independent digital media platform dedicated to voting rights and elections, founded in 2020 by Marc Elias. This role is crucial for maintaining the accuracy and accessibility of their comprehensive database of over 1,000 cases, which powers their content across various platforms. This position helps a broad audience understand complex litigation and its impact on their lives and their vote.

The TL;DR
• Role: Full Time
• Type: Hybrid
• Location: Washington D.C. or Jersey City
• Pay: $135000–$155000 yearly
• Team: This role reports to the Managing Editor and leads a team of researchers.
• Mission: This person owns the legal research and case tracking that drives Democracy Docket’s content and ensures complex litigation is accessible and meaningful to a broad audience.
• Tech Stack: Airtable

What You’ll Actually Do
• Leadership: Lead and supervise a team of researchers responsible for tracking voting rights, redistricting, and democracy-related litigation nationwide.
• Database Management: Own and maintain Democracy Docket’s case database, ensuring its accuracy, streamlining tracking workflows, and operating efficiently.
• Legal Analysis: Read, analyze, and synthesize court documents, distilling key information into clear, accessible language for both internal teams and public audiences.
• Content Editing: Edit all litigation-related content, including news articles, newsletters, video scripts, and social media posts, for accuracy, clarity, and framing.
• Strategic Support: Keep Democracy Docket staff informed and coordinated on case developments, providing educational support on legal concepts and litigation trends.

The Must-Haves
• Background: A J.D. is required. This Director-level role demands deep knowledge of voting rights, election law, and related litigation.
• Experience: Experience managing or mentoring a team is required, alongside familiarity with court docket tracking tools and legal databases.
• Skills: Exceptional ability to translate complex legal concepts for non-expert audiences, strong writing and editing skills, and a news instinct to recognize stories in legal developments.
• Bonus: Comfort on camera for video and social content is a plus.