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Freelance Legal Editor Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Senior Production Editor

Austin, TX ยท On-site

$70K - $75K/yr

Hiring freelance copyeditors, proofreaders, and indexers, and reviewing their work through all ... with Legal department directives. * Updating progress of projects in various digital tracking ...

Senior Production Editor

Manhattan, NY ยท On-site

$70K - $75K/yr

Hiring freelance copyeditors, proofreaders, and indexers, and reviewing their work through all ... with Legal department directives. * Updating progress of projects in various digital tracking ...

Copy Editor

Troy, MI ยท Hybrid

$53K - $79K/yr

We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary ... legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance. You must be actively employed for 90 ...

Copy Editor

New York, NY ยท Hybrid

$53K - $79K/yr

We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary ... legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance. You must be actively employed for 90 ...

Copy Editor

Chicago, IL ยท Hybrid

$53K - $79K/yr

We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary ... legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance. You must be actively employed for 90 ...

Copy Editor

Rogers, AR ยท Hybrid

$53K - $79K/yr

We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary ... legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance. You must be actively employed for 90 ...

Copy Editor

Minneapolis, MN ยท Hybrid

$53K - $79K/yr

We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary ... legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance. You must be actively employed for 90 ...

Legal Assist - Admin

Washington, DC ยท On-site

$80K - $115K/yr

... freelance backgrounds will be considered), excellent communication skills *** Job Details: This ... PDF editing tools Experience with iManage, PowerPoint, and federal/state e-filing systems ...

Copy Editor

Chicago, IL ยท On-site

$53K - $79K/yr

We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary ... legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance. You must be actively employed for 90 ...

Assistant Editor

New York, NY ยท On-site

$70K - $80K/yr

... freelance editors, and designers * Enforce production schedules, regularly update project ... A knack for translating sophisticated research and legal complexities into plain language

PKF O'Connor Davies (PKFOD) is seeking an experienced freelance writer and editor to help develop ... Experience writing for accounting, financial services, professional services, consulting, legal, or ...

Showing results 21-40

Freelance Legal Editor information

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$66.5K

$105.5K

How much do freelance legal editor jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for freelance legal editor in the United States is $66,461.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $42,000.00 and $92,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a freelance legal editor do?

A Freelance Legal Editor reviews, edits, and proofreads legal content to ensure accuracy, clarity, and compliance with legal standards. They may work on case law summaries, legal articles, contracts, or other legal documents for law firms, publishers, or legal websites. Their role involves checking citations, improving readability, and ensuring that legal terminology is used correctly. Many freelancers specialize in specific areas of law, such as corporate law, intellectual property, or regulatory compliance.

What are the typical responsibilities and challenges faced by a freelance legal editor?

Freelance Legal Editors are typically responsible for reviewing, editing, and proofreading legal documents such as contracts, briefs, articles, and court filings to ensure accuracy and clarity. They often work independently and must efficiently manage multiple projects and deadlines for various clients, which can be challenging without the structure of a traditional team environment. Additionally, keeping up with changing legal standards and citation formats is essential to maintain the quality of work. Successful freelance legal editors build strong communication channels with attorneys, publishers, or legal teams to clarify details and expectations, contributing to a smooth workflow and repeat business.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a freelance legal editor, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Freelance Legal Editor, you need in-depth knowledge of legal terminology, strong grammar and writing skills, and often a background in law or legal studies. Familiarity with legal research databases, editing software like Microsoft Word with track changes, and citation systems such as Bluebook or APA is often required. Attention to detail, time management, and excellent communication skills set standout candidates apart. These competencies are crucial to ensure accuracy, clarity, and compliance with legal standards in legal documents and publications.

How to become a freelance legal editor?

To become a freelance legal editor, you typically need a law degree or legal background, strong editing skills, and familiarity with legal terminology and style guides. Gaining experience through legal writing or editing roles and building a portfolio can help establish credibility. Freelancers often find work through legal publishing companies, freelance platforms, or networking within legal and editing communities.
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Infographic showing various Freelance Legal Editor job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $66,461 per year, or $32 per hour.

Senior Production Editor

Austin, TX โ€ข On-site

Macmillan Learning
Education Programs Administrationย โ€ขย 501 - 1,000 employees

$70K - $75K/yr

Other

Posted 27 days ago


Job description

Description

We are looking for a Senior Production Editor for Macmillan Adult Trade. This role will production-edit approximately 35 to 40 books a year, or 15 to 25 books at a time. They will manage the production editorial process from assessing manuscripts for copyediting needs to hiring and managing freelancers to proofreading and indexing page proofs as well as checking all stages of text, photo inserts, and jackets/covers throughout the bookmaking process. They will be responsible for quality control and compliance with departmental procedures. Proficiency with digital copyediting and routing required as well as knowledge of workflow systems.

What You'll Do:

  • Handling production editorial work for original fiction and nonfiction titles from manuscript to bound book, as well as paperback conversions.
  • Electronic styling of manuscripts for design and composition.
  • Hiring freelance copyeditors, proofreaders, and indexers, and reviewing their work through all passes.
  • Cleaning and preparing copyedited, author-reviewed manuscripts for design and typesetting.
  • Collating changes from authors and freelancers in page proofs and resolving queries ahead of transmittal.
  • Copyediting jacket/cover copy and ancillary marketing material, including sales quotes, reading group guides, bound galley cover copy, and proofreading jackets/covers, insert captions, and additional material.
  • Frequent and ongoing collaboration with Production, Design, and Editorial departments as needed concerning scheduling; editorial revisions suggested by authors, copyeditors, or proofreaders; complying with Legal department directives.
  • Updating progress of projects in various digital tracking systems, using correct file-naming conventions and adhering to documented best practices.
  • Providing task- and project-specific support for other production editors to ensure that coverage is maintained during planned vacation and discretionary days.

What You'll Bring:

  • Extensive background in adult trade fiction and nonfiction
  • Ability to work independently as well as part of a team, anticipating problems, troubleshooting solutions, and prioritizing
  • Strong working knowledge of grammar and punctuation, including expertise with the Chicago Manual of Style, with an aptitude for enforcing style rules while also respecting author voice
  • Meticulous attention to detail; work well under pressure; good oral and verbal communication
  • Ability to meet deadlines while juggling multiple projects at once
  • Work well with others in a tactful manner, displaying common sense and initiative.
  • Seven to ten years' experience as a production editor, preferably in adult trade fiction/nonfiction
  • Copyediting and proofreading at a high level
  • Technical proficiency in Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat (including comfort with PDF markup tools), and Workflow/Metadata systems
  • Bachelor's degree or commensurate experience

The salary range for this role is $70,000 - $75,000.

Macmillan Publishers is the U.S. trade company that is part of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, a large family-owned group of media companies headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Holtzbrinck Publishing Group's publishing companies include prominent imprints around the world that publish a broad range of award-winning books for children and adults in all categories and formats.

U.S. publishers include Celadon Books, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Flatiron Books, Henry Holt & Company, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, The St. Martin's Publishing Group, and Tor Publishing Group. In the UK, Australia, India, and South Africa, companies in the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group publish under the Pan Macmillan name. The German publishing company, Holtzbrinck Deutsche Buchverlage, includes among its imprints S. Fischer, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Rowohlt, and Droemer Knaur.

Macmillan is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, consistently striving to foster a culture where everyone belongs. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and identities. Qualified applicants are evaluated without regard to race, color, religion, age, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, physical ability, neurodiversity, genetic information, protected veteran status, family and economic status, and background or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We prohibit discrimination of any kind and will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.



Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.