Frontend Engineer

Courthouse News

Location: United States
Job Type: full-time
Salary: $150,000
Posted: May 14, 2025

Job Description

At Courthouse News, we’re dedicated to delivering timely, insightful, and accessible legal news through innovative technology. As a Front End Engineer on our Technology Team, you'll help shape the user experience across our public-facing platforms and internal tools. Your work will directly impact the accessibility, usability, and performance of the digital products relied on by our readers, subscribers, and users.

You’ll collaborate closely with product managers and back-end engineers to craft responsive, efficient, and intuitive interfaces. While React is at the core of our front-end architecture, our ecosystem also includes headless CMS integration, PHP-based components, cloud functions, and API-driven workflows.

In this position, you’ll have the opportunity to:

Drive the look, feel, and usability of impactful legal tech products.
Work with modern front-end tools including React 18+, Redux Toolkit, Storybook, and SASS, as well as CMS technologies like WordPress (Gutenberg, Divi) and headless frameworks.
Contribute to a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and user empathy.

Key Responsibilities:

Build and maintain modern, responsive, and accessible front-end applications using React.js, Redux Toolkit, and React Router.
Develop and customize CMS front ends using WordPress, including Divi Builder, Gutenberg, and custom plugins.
Integrate with and build RESTful APIs, including custom WordPress APIs and headless CMS implementations.
Collaborate with product designers and stakeholders to translate high-fidelity designs into well-crafted UI components.
Participate in Agile workflows, including sprint planning, retrospectives, and backlog refinement.
Use tools like React Query for data fetching and SASS/SCSS for styling.
Work with Azure Functions and Firebase Cloud Messaging where front-end integrations require serverless support.
Contribute to and document component libraries with Storybook.
Conduct rigorous quality assurance testing and troubleshoot complex technical issues, including writing and maintaining UI tests with Ghost Inspector or similar tools.
Use Swagger and Postman to test and document API integrations.
Manage and collaborate through Git and Azure DevOps.
Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation to support development and cross-team collaboration.
Uphold and promote best practices for coding standards, testing, and deployment.

Required Skills & Experience:

4+ years of professional experience building web applications using React.js and modern JavaScript (ES6+).
Proficiency in HTML5, CSS3, SASS/SCSS, and mobile-first responsive design.
Experience integrating with RESTful APIs and working in component-driven front-end environments.
Familiarity with CMS platforms, particularly WordPress, including experience with themes, builders (Divi), and custom plugin development.
Experience with Git-based version control and Agile workflows.
Solid understanding of software development lifecycle and Agile methodologies.
Strong communication and problem-solving skills, with a collaborative approach.
A mindset focused on growth, continuous learning, and innovation.

Preferred Qualifications:

Familiarity with KendoUI React, Redux Toolkit, and React Query.
Experience with custom WordPress development, headless CMS architectures, and Hugo.
Exposure to cloud services including Azure Functions, Azure DevOps, and Firebase.
Proficiency with API tools like Swagger, Postman, and transactional email platforms like SendGrid.
Familiarity with front-end testing frameworks and component development tools (e.g., Ghost Inspector, Storybook).
Exposure to MySQL, Node.js, and Elasticsearch in a collaborative team environment.
Hands-on experience with analytics tools (e.g., FullStory, Heap, Datadog).
Exposure to help desk software such as Zendesk or Freshdesk.

We are seeking candidates who are authorized to work in the United States and currently reside in the US. While we prefer candidates who can work onsite at our Pasadena, California office several days a week, remote work arrangements will also be considered.

*** When applying, please include a link to your current profile, e.g., Linkedin and/or professional portfolio. We review every application and will respond to all qualified applicants.

About Courthouse News Service

Since 1990, Courthouse News Service© has been a trusted resource for reporting rapidly and completely on new civil litigation and common law throughout the United States. Our news delivery platform, CasePortal, provides attorneys with comprehensive coverage, daily reporting, and fast alerts.

🎯 Who is this job for?

This role suits a Mid-Level Frontend Engineer with 4+ years of React.js experience, strong skills in modern JavaScript, HTML/CSS (SASS/SCSS), and responsive design. The candidate should be familiar with CMS platforms (especially WordPress), RESTful API integration, and Agile workflows, and have experience with tools like Redux Toolkit, React Query, Storybook, and Azure DevOps. The job involves building accessible, high-quality UI for legal tech products, collaborating cross-functionally, and working in a hybrid or remote US-based setting.

💬 Potential Interview Questions

How do you approach building responsive and accessible React applications?
I prioritize semantic HTML, ARIA roles, and mobile-first CSS with SASS/SCSS, ensuring components adapt seamlessly across devices and meet accessibility standards.
Describe your experience integrating React frontends with RESTful APIs.
I use tools like React Query or Redux Toolkit to manage API calls efficiently, handle caching, and maintain smooth UI updates while collaborating closely with backend teams.
How have you customized WordPress CMS frontends, particularly using Divi or Gutenberg?
I develop custom themes and plugins, tailor block editors with Gutenberg, and extend Divi builder functionality to match specific design and user experience requirements.
What role does Storybook play in your frontend development workflow?
Storybook helps me build, document, and test UI components in isolation, improving reusability and collaboration across teams while ensuring design consistency.
How do you test frontend applications and ensure quality assurance?
I write unit and integration tests using Jest and React Testing Library and use tools like Ghost Inspector for end-to-end testing to catch UI regressions early.
Explain your experience working in Agile environments.
I actively participate in sprint planning, retrospectives, and backlog grooming, promoting iterative development and continuous delivery aligned with product goals.
How do you handle API testing and documentation?
I utilize Swagger and Postman to test API endpoints thoroughly, automate requests, and maintain clear documentation for both development and QA teams.
What techniques do you use for front-end performance optimization?
I leverage lazy loading, code splitting, memoization, and optimize CSS and JavaScript bundles to ensure fast load times and smooth user experiences.
How have you integrated cloud services like Azure Functions or Firebase in frontend projects?
I integrate serverless functions for backendless features, such as push notifications with Firebase Cloud Messaging and custom API endpoints via Azure Functions.
What strategies do you employ to maintain version control and collaborate on code?
I follow Git branching strategies, conduct thorough code reviews via pull requests, and use Azure DevOps for CI/CD pipelines, ensuring code quality and smooth team collaboration.

📋 Job Summary

Courthouse News Service is seeking a skilled Frontend Engineer to enhance their legal news platforms with modern, responsive, and accessible interfaces using React 18+, Redux Toolkit, and Storybook. You'll collaborate cross-functionally to build and maintain CMS-driven frontends (WordPress, Divi, Gutenberg), integrate RESTful APIs, and contribute to serverless functions with Azure and Firebase. This US-based role offers a \$150K salary with hybrid options in Pasadena, CA, focusing on innovation, quality, and user-centered design in a fast-paced legal tech environment.