Public Relations Manager - New York

For New York office. The Manager, Public Relations will be responsible for managing and executing strategic public relations, with a focus on the U.S. This colleague will help elevate the Litigation practices’ brand positioning in the legal and business market in the U.S. and globally, in alignment with the firm’s strategic goals. The candidate will work closely with the Litigation Client Development team and will coordinate efforts with our London-based EMEA PR and other Marketing teams.

The Manager of PR will implement Litigation practice media plans with reach to the business, general, trade, legal and web press.

The successful candidate will have a hands-on, collaborative style with a proven track record of implementing PR strategies. An existing network of journalist contacts in the U.S. from top business, legal, general, trade and web press is essential.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Media Strategies

• Within the context of business and marketing plans, work with the Senior Manager of Public Relations and Global Director of Communications to create media strategies for Litigation practices that reflect the firm’s brand and positioning, disseminate key messages and achieve media coverage goals.
• Target relevant business reporters covering our key Litigation practices areas and present metrics through regular reporting.
• Research media markets via geography, industry and any other medium as necessary.
• Work with partners and Client Development colleagues, and stay current with the news, to identify potential news, topics, and comment opportunities.
• Proactively identify emerging opportunities and risks and independently recommend and drive forward new initiatives without being directed.

Media Contact

• Communicate the organization’s position on topics and issues to the media and public in general.
• Coordinate interviews and meetings with reporters and lawyers.
• Routinely meet and interact with members of the press to establish and maintain key working relationships.

Publicity, Placements

• Leverage and maintain relationships with local, national, and trade press.
• Coordinate with the broader public relations team to increase our U.S. profile among relevant top tier and trade/sector publications.
• Position Dechert lawyers as “legal and business experts” for use by media.
• Actively seek firm news, client successes, legal insights and market trends and use that information to develop strategic media stories that resonate with local and national legal, general business and trade press.
• Place bylined articles and create opportunities to leverage thought leadership.
• Write press releases, pitch letters and other publicity copy.
• Track media coverage.

QUALIFICATIONS / KSAs

• Experience in a professional services environment, preferably law.
• Journalism experienced preferred.
• Established relationships across U.S. national, business and legal press.
• Track record of execution – highly adept at taking strategic plans and translating them into simple courses of action to be implemented.
• Strong stakeholder management experience and executive presence, with the confidence and polish to advise directly with partners and senior leadership. 
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, English or a related field.
• Excellent writing and superior oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to anticipate and evaluate opportunities and challenges, and capacity to make or recommend decisions.
• Knowledge of AP Style and the ability to learn and apply the firm’s writing style guide.
• Detail-oriented, organized and able to prioritize and coordinate own work.
• Professional, positive can-do attitude and collaborative.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

PHYSICAL EFFORT / WORK CONDITIONS

For Other Exempt Staff

• This position operates in a professional office environment which is generally free of hazards and exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
• This position requires regular attendance on-site at a Dechert location with some travel to different sites using various modes of private and commercial transportation. Incumbents may be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends.
• This position routinely operates standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopy machines, fax machines and filing cabinets, and requires frequent communication with the firm’s employees and partners as well as third parties.
• This position is mainly sedentary.  Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to read, sit and type for sustained periods of time; to walk, stand, reach, and bend; to open and close filing cabinets and access and retrieve materials in file rooms; to lift, carry and move files or other items of light to moderate weight; to operate equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.
• This position requires a normal audio range, with or without correction. It also requires the normal visual range, with or without correction. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

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