Job Description

Summary

At Barnes & Thornburg, change is relentless and so are we. In an evolving business landscape, we stand ready at a moment’s notice, adapting with agility and precision to achieve the highest goals for our clients. Similarly, our Client Growth and Marketing team serves its clients — 800 legal professionals across 50 practices in 23 markets — with the same energy and commitment.

The team currently seeks a Senior Public Relations (PR) Manager to work in a hybrid capacity from one of our 23 offices to develop and execute strategic PR campaigns that enhance the firm’s reputation, visibility, and market position. Reporting to the Director, Marketing Communications, the ideal candidate will possess extensive PR experience in the professional services or legal sectors and will demonstrate strong media relations, crisis communications, and PR content creation skills.

Additionally, you will cultivate relationships with firm leadership and lawyers — as well as business development and marketing teams — to collaborate on strategic PR initiatives that raise awareness of the firm and support client growth.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Media Relations: Establish and maintain relationships with journalists, reporters, and media outlets. Proactively pitch story ideas and secure media placements that showcase the firm’s expertise, thought leadership, and accomplishments.
• Strategy Development: Develop and implement comprehensive PR strategies that align with the firm’s business objectives and brand positioning.
• Crisis Communications: Act as a key point of contact for crisis communication management, providing guidance and developing timely and accurate responses to mitigate reputational risk.
• PR Content Creation: Oversee the creation of press releases, op-eds, media alerts, blog posts, speeches, and other PR materials. Ensure all messaging is consistent, clear, and on-brand.
• Executive Support: Work closely with senior leadership and attorneys to craft personalized messaging for media interviews, conferences, and public speaking engagements.
• Thought Leadership: Position key lawyers as thought leaders by identifying opportunities for them to contribute to publications and engage in media interviews.
• Team Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams and external agencies to ensure alignment in messaging, branding, and communication strategy.
• Reporting and Analytics: Track and measure the effectiveness of PR campaigns and media coverage, providing regular reports and insights to leadership.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, journalism, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in public relations, with at least 3-4 years in a senior or managerial role, ideally within a law firm or professional services company.
• Proven expertise in media relations, PR content creation, crisis communications.
• Strong understanding of B2B marketing strategy from the legal or professional services industries.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work under tight deadlines.
• Proficiency with media monitoring tools and PR analytics platforms.
• Ability to build relationships with both internal stakeholders, external media contacts and PR agencies.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements. Barnes & Thornburg currently offers a comprehensive benefit package, including health and life insurance, 401k/Roth and Profit Sharing, and paid time off. Salary will be commensurate with experience in this role.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Statement

Barnes & Thornburg is committed to equal employment opportunity in both principle and as a matter of policy. We will recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate and provide benefits to all applicants and employees without regard to ancestry, sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, religion, religious creed, mental and/or physical disability, medical condition, military and/or veteran’s status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws. This policy applies to all recruiting, hiring, promotions, upgrades, layoffs, compensation, benefits, terminations and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment. The firm complies fully with all federal, state and local equal employment opportunity laws.

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