Senior Public Relations Manager/Media Relations Strategist

Latham & Watkins is a global law firm consistently ranked among the top firms in the world. The success of our firm is largely determined by our commitment to hire and develop the very best and brightest, creating a team that provides our clients with the highest quality of work and service. We are driven by our core values: respect, innovation, and collaboration.  

The Senior Public Relations Manager/Media Relations Strategist is a key position on Latham’s US PR team, focused on serving the firm’s market-leading transactional practices and industries, and as an integral part of the firm’s global Brand & Communications department. This role will serve as a strategic communicator, trusted advisor, and talented, strategic media relations professional, developing and executing public relations campaigns and media programs designed to enhance the reputation and build the profile of the firm’s practices and partners. This role will be located in our New York office.

The role is focused on closely supporting the firm’s transactional capability, spanning core product areas and industries, serving as a hands-on media relations specialist, and helping to shape and implement earned media strategies to promote the high-profile work of the transactional practice, garner recognition for the practice and individual lawyers, and leverage earned media for digital marketing and social media campaigns.

Other key responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing earned media strategies and creating and implementing campaigns to enhance the firm’s profile and build visibility for the practice
• Proactively seeking media opportunities, managing press outreach, and addressing issues as they arise; building and maintaining strong relationships with legal and business/financial journalists, editors, and media outlets
• Seeking opportunities to profile the partners and practices in emerging media such as podcasts
• Working closely with the social media team to pull through and amplify earned media across the firm’s social media channels
• Handling strategic writing projects, including talking points, statements, press releases, deal announcements, surveys and award submissions
• Counselling relevant firm leaders on strategy, messaging, issues management, and media relations, ensuring public relations efforts align with business objectives
• Preparing partners and other spokespeople for media interviews; developing supporting materials
• Monitoring media coverage and analyzing trends to provide insights and recommendations
• Protecting and maintaining any highly sensitive, confidential, privileged, financial, and/or proprietary information that Latham & Watkins retains 
  

We’d love to hear from you if you:

• Enjoy driving high-impact PR and earned media strategies, managing media relations, and developing story ideas, while ensuring consistent and effective messaging
• Are skilled at building and nurturing relationships with media contacts and internal stakeholders/senior executives
• Take a proactive and creative approach to crafting and running innovative earned media campaigns that really connect with target audiences
• Excel at writing clear and compelling press materials that capture attention and convey key messages effectively

And have:

• A minimum of ten (10) years of cumulative experience at a public relations agency or in-house
• A bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field
• Prior work experience and a deep understanding of the finance industry and familiarity with the legal industry

Successful candidates will not only be provided with an outstanding career opportunity and welcoming environment, but will also be provided with a generous total compensation package with bonuses awarded in recognition of both individual and firm performance. Eligible employees can participate in Latham’s comprehensive benefit program which includes:

• Healthcare, life and disability insurance
• A generous 401k plan
• At least 11 paid holidays per year, and a PTO program that accrues 23 days during the first year of employment and grows with tenure
• Well-being programs (e.g. mental health services, mindfulness and resiliency, medical resources, well-being events, and more)
• Professional development programs
• Employee discounts
• Affinity groups, networks, and coalitions for lawyers and staff

Latham & Watkins is an equal opportunity employer. The Firm prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status (including veterans of the Vietnam era), gender expression, marital status, or any other characteristic or condition protected by applicable statute.

Please click here to view the full job description for this role.

Please click here to review your rights under U.S. employment laws.  #Director #LI-JS1