Legal Affairs Reporter

This reporting position is responsible for covering civil litigation filings and criminal law cases in our core readership areas. This reporter will be responsible for news pertaining to settlements and verdicts in these cases, with a particular focus on cases that have broader significance in the legal system and which speak to our niche as a business and legal newspaper. This beat also shares the responsibility with our other law team beat in developing stories about the evolving business of law, trends in the industry and profiles of key players in the legal field.

This is a beat that requires an ability to offer insight and analysis as well as to provide basic information. This reporter will also be called upon to report on appellate decisions and rulings; to help cover legislative developments that affect the judiciary and the legal community; and to report on emerging legal specialties.

SKILLS:

• Strong writing skills, including a familiarity with AP style.
• Strong knowledge of the judicial system, with the vocabulary of the law and with legal concepts.
• Interviewing and research skills.
• An ability to conceive and develop compelling and insightful enterprise stories about interesting people; trends; groundbreaking legal rulings; etc.
• Commitment to foundational journalism principles of accuracy, fairness, objectivity and service to readers.
• Proficiency with blogging software, such as WordPress, and with basic computer programs - Word, Excel, etc.
• An ability to use databases for reporting and for story presentation.
• Proficiency with social media platforms in reporting stories, contacting potential sources and distributing information to an audience.
• Familiarity with basic audio and video technologies and a willingness to learn and improve those skills.
• Affinity for skills training and a willingness to expand those skills as journalism technologies continue to evolve.
• Familiarity with industry trends in legal coverage and a commitment to keep abreast of industry trends and practices.
• Collaborative, team-oriented style so as to function successfully in a modern news organization.
• Willingness to be an innovator.
• Capability of juggling multiple assignments as necessary.

DUTIES:

• Keep on top of developments at Maryland's trial courts, both the filing of lawsuits as well as ongoing trials, settlements and verdicts.
• Monitor judiciary system websites for case and decision reports and develop stories from those.
• Stay on top of online legal news reported by other news organizations.
• Be able to offer analyses that go behind the scenes to show what determined trial outcomes.
• Report on trends and developments in litigation, such as the impact of new technologies on intellectual property claims.
• Create source lists for personal use and to share as appropriate with newsroom colleagues.
• Network within legal community to stay abreast of news.
• Utilize Daily Record audience/readership metrics as they pertain to your coverage area.
• Use spreadsheets and databases to develop stories on legal trends - for instance, the outcome of state rulings on lead paint cases.
• Localize national trends or breaking news for our local audience.
• Develop compelling feature stories about the people behind the law.
• Be committed to a digital-first approach to legal news - capable of posting stories online and quickly sharing them on social media.
• Contribute to Daily Record special publications, such as Maryland Family Law or Path to Excellence, as assigned.
• Ability to represent The Daily Record in the professional community.
• Other duties as assigned.

What does BridgeTower Media offer?

• A competitive benefits package that includes health, vision, dental plus robust supplementary options.
• Company paid Life, AD&D Insurance & Short and Long-Term Disability coverages
• Health Savings Account with employer contribution
• 24-hour TeleMedicine and TeleCounseling Services
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Leave Program
• Unlimited PTO
• Sick Time
• Summer Weekend Jumpstart Hours**
• Over 10 holidays paid
• Tuition Assistance Program
• 401K with a company match
• Growth opportunities to build your career
• Learning & Development programs

**As long as business needs are met*

About BridgeTower Media

BridgeTower Media is a leading business intelligence, marketing and event platform providing authoritative content and expert analysis through its 40+ B2B media and research brands. More than 4.4 million business decision-makers rely on BridgeTower Media for timely information and expert insights to grow their businesses. These deep and trusted first-party customer relationships power tailored insights for business executives and precision audience targeting for omnichannel marketing solutions. BridgeTower Media also celebrates professional and organizational success through 200+ events and its Best Companies Group. BridgeTower Media is a Transom Capital portfolio company. For more information, please visit www.bridgetowermedia.com.

BridgeTower Media and all subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity Employers and value diversity in our workplace.