US Legal Correspondent

Job title: US Legal Correspondent

About us

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide.

At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world.

In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing.

Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere.

Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

The role

The Financial Times is looking for an experienced journalist to join the New York bureau to cover law and the legal industry.

The beat has essentially two interlocking halves, one focusing on white collar crime and financial enforcement, and the other centered on the powerful law firms and larger-than-life characters operating in the world’s largest legal market.

The first half is rooted in the federal prosecutor’s offices in New York’s Southern and Eastern Districts, and the enforcement arms of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission. That means covering some of the US’s highest profile white collar cases – past examples include the investigations into First Brands’ Patrick James, Archegos’ Bill Hwang and FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried.

You will also collaborate directly with the US Justice correspondent and corporate beat reporters to cover top legal cases elsewhere in the country. That requires proficiency in developing relationships with both defence attorneys and prosecutors in New York and beyond.

Coverage of the legal industry means breaking news and writing about the top American lawyers and law firms who act as powerbrokers across business, finance and politics. Lawyers pop up as key donors and advisers on both sides of the political aisle and litigation – or the threat of it – is the constant companion of corporate activity, government regulation and the electoral process.

The FT has been expanding its footprint in the US professional services sector at a time of significant change that is challenging the business models of the big law firms. Consolidation is accelerating, as are high-profile poaching raids. Private equity is eyeing a way into the profession. AI threatens to upend both training and billing norms, and some venerable firms are struggling while upstarts expand into new practice areas

Key responsibilities

• Cover federal and New York authorities responsible for investigating and prosecuting financial and corporate malfeasance

• Develop sources in the criminal defence bar and state and federal courts to break stories in core FT areas, including money laundering, insider trading and financial fraud

• Work closely with Washington, London and corporate correspondents while cooperating within a distributed team to pursue big cases

• Pick out unique angles on New York law firms and prominent lawyers for compelling reads on the legal community

• Weekend shifts are required as part of the team rota

• Who we are looking for

• You will have a proven track record of breaking stories on news-heavy beats, and shown an ability to work well within a team. You will be expected to quickly parse complex legal documents and translate legal jargon to deliver clean copy and compelling narratives. Familiarity with the intricacies of international finance is preferred, given the frequently complicated cases brought by federal authorities.

• Accessibility

• We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory.

• Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, a member of our team will be happy to help.