The law has a nasty reputation for being obtuse, complicated, and — worst of all — dull. I think that people often don’t engage with legal journalism because of an assumption that they either won’t understand what’s being discussed or, worse, they can’t see how the law is applicable in their lives. Piercing that veil of assumption is what we do best at JURIST.

By linking to original-source documentation and following the development of stories across years, we provide something that is sorely lacking in public legal research: reasoned perspective on legal issues that matter. We’ve been recognized by the American Bar Association and the Webby Awards for exactly that kind of writing and reporting. What’s truly amazing about JURIST is that our writers are students; our editors are students; and even some of our commentators are students.

Moreover, all of our student staff members are unpaid volunteers.

When I was a journalism student, I helped build student-run websites. Before I came to the University of Pittsburgh, I worked as a journalist on Capitol Hill and wrote for local newspapers in Ohio. I can say, from experience, that JURIST is unique in the academic and professional arenas.

We are a publication that provides knowledge and perspective that is worth paying for. Yet, we offer our services to the world free of charge and unobscured by advertising. If you value reporting that cares about procedure and opinions that consider perspective, please donate to JURIST and help keep us online.

Clay Flaherty
Managing Editor