Communications Manager

Hanson Bridgett LLP; United States; Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

None

Job summary

Hanson Bridgett LLP seeks a Communications Manager to lead internal and external communications, shaping the firm's brand and messaging in partnership with leadership and the Director of Communications. You will work with the Marketing/BD team to ensure clear, consistent communications that reflect the firm's voice and values.

This California-based role offers remote work on non-required in-person days, with occasional meetings and events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5+ years in a comms role at an AmLaw 200 firm.
• Strong judgment, attention to detail, and independent decision-making.
• Collaborative with attorneys, staff, and firm leadership.
• Proficiency in MS Office, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Adobe Suite; social platforms.

Responsibilities

• Execute communications and media plans with Director; manage calendars and deadlines.
• Track media coverage and inform PR strategy with competitive analysis.
• Assist with article placement and media pitches; prep for interviews.
• Build relationships with journalists to connect partners with outlets.
• Draft and edit press releases; ensure consistency of brand voice.
• Create content for website, intranet, internal comms, and channels.
• Maintain and evolve brand voice and guidelines across channels.
• Champion DEI and pro bono storytelling as core to brand.
• Own social media strategy and posting calendar; review analytics.
• Manage directory, ranking, and award submissions (Chambers, Legal 500, Am Law).
• Provide baseline crisis/reputational comms support with leadership.
• Maintain analytics for the dept and refine strategy.

Skills

Judgment

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Interpersonal skills

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree + 5+ years at AmLaw 200

Tools

Microsoft Office

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Adobe Suite

Slack

Sprout Social

JD Supra

Cision

Meltwater

Job description

Hanson Bridgett seeks a Communications Manager to lead the firm's internal and external communications, partnering with firm leadership and the Director of Communications to shape and promote the firm's brand, achievements, and innovation. Working closely with the broader Marketing/Business Development team, this role ensures all firm communications are clear, consistent, and reflect the firm's voice and values.

This role offers the flexibility to work remotely on days when in-person attendance isn't required, as agreed with the direct supervisor, though occasional in-person meetings and events are expected.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Execute the communications and media plans set by the Director, managing day-to-day tasks, calendars, and deadlines across projects.
• Track and report on media coverage across media verticals and markets to inform overall public relations strategy, including ongoing competitive and strategic analysis of competitor law firm media coverage.
• Assist in the placement of attorney-written articles and work with lawyers to develop media pitches and prepare for interviews.
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists at key media outlets to create opportunities to connect partners with key journalists.
• Work with the Director of Communications to draft and edit press releases.
• Draft and edit selected content for the firm's website, intranet, internal communications, and other channels to ensure consistent messaging and brand voice.
• Maintain and evolve the firm's brand voice/style guidelines across all communications channels.
• Champion the firm's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and pro bono commitment through proactive storytelling, ensuring these efforts are visible internally and externally as core to the firm's brand and values.
• Own the firm's social media strategy and cultural posting calendar, regularly reviewing analytics and shifting approach based on performance.
• Manage the firm's directory, ranking, and award submission calendar (e.g., Chambers, Legal 500, Am Law) and provide support on submissions and nominations.
• Provide baseline support for crisis and reputational communications, in coordination with the Director of Communications and firm leadership.
• Maintain analytics and reporting for the communications department, including media coverage metrics and website/content engagement, and use these insights to refine strategy.
• Highlight the day-to-day activities of the position.

Required AI Skills

• Practical experience using generative AI tools (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot) to accelerate drafting of press releases, articles, social content, and internal communications, with a clear understanding of what requires full attorney/human review before publication
• Basic understanding of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) - how content is surfaced in AI-powered search and answer engines - and how it complements traditional SEO for legal marketing
• Judgment around AI governance in a law firm context: confidentiality, bar advertising rules, disclosure obligations, and avoiding hallucinated or unverified claims in AI-assisted output

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and minimum 5+ years of professional experience in a communications role at an AmLaw 200 law firm
• Sound judgment, strong attention to detail, effective problem-solving skills, and ability to use discretion and independent judgment to make decisions with minimal supervision
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with attorneys, professional staff, and firm leadership
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (including PowerPoint and SharePoint) and Adobe Suite
• Knowledge of social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram)
• Experience using Slack or comparable collaboration tools to coordinate with attorneys, staff, and vendors, and to share updates and time-sensitive communications efficiently
• Experience with media monitoring and social analytics platforms, preferably Sprout Social and JD Supra (or comparable tools such as Cision or Meltwater), to track coverage and engagement efficiently

Hanson Bridgett offers a competitive salary and benefits package. The annual salary for this California-based role is anticipated to be in the area of $135,000.00 - $165,000.00, and represents the firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation is negotiable and will depend upon several factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s years of experience, qualifications, and skill set.