Communications Manager - Media & Thought Leadership

DLA Piper LLP; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

DLA Piper LLP is seeking a Communications Manager to support external communications and public relations across the firm’s lawyers, practices, and markets. This role collaborates with Communications, Marketing, and Business Development to identify newsworthy opportunities and manage media initiatives from concept through execution.

You will develop compelling stories, pitches, and messaging; coordinate with journalists; and coach lawyers on media readiness.

Qualifications

• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex legal and business subjects into clear, engaging communications for sophisticated external audiences.
• Strong media relations skills, including experience developing story ideas, writing pitches, conducting media outreach, and working with journalists.
• Strong understanding of the media landscape and sound editorial judgment about what makes a story timely, relevant, and compelling to legal, business, national, regional, and industry publications.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes proactive media relations initiatives that raise the visibility of the firm’s lawyers and practices, including promoting thought leadership, client matters, legal and business developments, and other newsworthy activity.
• Identifies timely media opportunities and develops story angles and pitches that connect the firm’s lawyers and capabilities with relevant legal, business, regulatory, and industry developments.
• Builds and maintains relationships with journalists across legal, business, national, regional, and industry media and conducts targeted outreach on behalf of the firm and its lawyers.
• Drafts and edits media pitches, press releases, talking points, briefing materials, website news items, and other external communications, ensuring content is clear, compelling, accurate, and aligned with firm messaging.
• Works directly with lawyers to develop media opportunities and prepare for interviews, including developing key messages and briefing materials and supporting media training.

Skills

Media relations

Writing & editing

Storytelling

Project management

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in public relations, marketing, communication, journalism or related field

Job description

DLA Piper LLP is seeking a Communications Manager to support external communications and public relations across the firm’s lawyers, practices, and markets. This role collaborates with Communications, Marketing, and Business Development to identify newsworthy opportunities and manage media initiatives from concept through execution.

You will develop compelling stories, pitches, and messaging; coordinate with journalists; and coach lawyers on media readiness.