US Legal Correspondent

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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.

Please submit your application by the end of the day, Wednesday 28th October 2026

Salary range

A reasonable estimate of the salary range for this role is $90,000-$135,000p.a. To ensure pay fairness, the successful candidate will be offered a salary within the estimated salary range based on a number of considerations including but not limited to: skill set; experience and training; certifications; and other business and organisational needs.

This position is open to a broad pool of candidates, both internal and external. Where an external candidate is hired or a successful internal candidate is appointed to the role on terms covered by the collective bargaining agreement, they will be represented by the News Media Guild (NMG). Candidates appointed on other (i.e. foreign) employment terms, including certain internal transfers on assignments from other bureaux, may not be represented by the NMG.

The use of AI

Original reporting, great writing and intelligent commentary lie at the heart of FT journalism. Our readers trust us to produce quality journalism that is accurate, fair and insightful. This is why FT editorial staff do not by default use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to write articles or create other reader-facing content. For specific and pre-approved cases, AI can be harnessed for certain tasks, such as assisting data research for investigations.

We expect applicants to the FT newsroom to refrain from using AI in their test submissions, and any written materials should be a genuine reflection of their own knowledge, skills and experiences. We encourage candidates only to employ AI as a tool to help with research and interview readiness for a role.

Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process is monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

What’s in it for you? Our benefits

Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here.

FT Newsroom staff are expected to work onsite a minimum of three days per week, subject to role requirements and regular review. While flexible working requests will be considered, not all patterns are suitable for Editorial roles.

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, email [email protected] and a member of our team will be happy to help.

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