Media Relations Senior Specialist

Nixon Peabody LLP; Providence (RI); Hybrid; USD 71,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Competitive salary

Job summary

Nixon Peabody LLP seeks a Media Relations Senior Specialist to develop and execute integrated public relations strategies, elevating the firm’s reputation and highlighting attorneys’ notable work across litigation, transactions, pro bono, and firm initiatives. The role blends strategy with hands-on media outreach and content creation.

The position requires 3–5 years in journalism or public relations, with a hybrid work schedule and emphasis on media strategy, outreach, and measurement to

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of journalism and/or public relations experience.
• Experience with social media management encouraged.
• Proficient writing, editing, and proofreading; ability to distill complex details for diverse audiences.
• Strong communication skills and ability to build relationships with attorneys and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Cultivates relationships with journalists and pitches story ideas.
• Writes press releases and publishes to the firm’s website.
• Coordinates media training and interview preparation for attorneys.
• Analyzes editorial calendars to identify opportunities for bylined articles and expert sourcing.

Skills

Journalism/PR

Communication skills

Relationship building

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications/Marketing/Journalism

Tools

Meltwater

Cision

Muck Rack

Job description

The Media Relations Senior Specialist is responsible for developing and executing integrated public relations strategies that elevate the firm’s reputation, promote our attorneys’ notable work, and advance thought leadership across litigation, transactional work, pro bono, and firmwide initiatives. A hybrid work schedule is available for this position.

The Media Relations Senior Specialist is responsible for developing and executing integrated public relations strategies that elevate the firm’s reputation, promote our attorneys’ notable work, and advance thought leadership across litigation, transactional work, pro bono, and firmwide initiatives. A hybrid work schedule is available for this position.

In this highly visible position, the Media Relations Senior Specialist plays a key role on the team by building relationships across Marketing, Communications, Business Development, and with the firm’s attorneys, to identify, pitch, and secure coverage of story angles that raise Nixon Peabody’s reputation in mainstream, industry-focused, and legal trade publications. The Media Relations Senior Specialist:

• Cultivates relationships with journalists;
• Manages projects from concept to completion;
• Engages with attorneys and builds effective relationships; and
• Tracks the impact of media efforts to demonstrate value.

This Media Relations Senior Specialist also partners closely with practice groups, industry teams, and marketing colleagues to align media activity with firm strategic priorities.

A career at Nixon Peabody is the opportunity to do work that matters. It’s the chance to use your knowledge to shape what’s ahead. To share, to innovate, to learn at a firm that taps the power of collective thinking.

We’ve created a dynamic, energizing environment that promotes success for our clients and each other. We offer fast growth, connectedness and training in business as well as law. And our rigorous standards assure you are part of a diverse team of top talent at every turn.

Location

Albany, NY; Boston, MA; Manchester, NH; New York City, NY; Providence, RI; Rochester, NY; Washington, DC

Media strategy and proactive outreach

• Build relationships with attorneys, Communications, and Business Development colleagues to identify newsworthy industry trends, firm-advised deals, litigation milestones, and other story ideas that raise the visibility of the firm and its attorneys
• Proactively pitch story ideas, expert commentary, and thought leadership to reports, editors, and producers at target outlets
• Cultivate and maintain direct relationships with journalists at priority mainstream, industry, and legal publications
• Analyze editorial calendars from priority publications and identify opportunities for bylined articles, third-party commentary, and expert sourcing
• Support the development and execution of integrated PR campaigns tied to firm strategic priorities, practice group initiatives, and industry team efforts

Media engagement and inquiries

• Serve as a point of contact for inbound media inquiries, coordinating attorney responses and routing requests appropriately and in a timely manner
• Assist team members with developing briefing sheets, talking points, and interview prep materials for attorneys
• Support attorney media coaching and interview preparation, including pre-interview walkthroughs when needed
• Coordinate media training opportunities for attorneys in partnership with internal team members or external agencies

Content development and publication

• Write press releases on a regular basis and publish to the firm’s website
• Create internal- and external-facing write-ups for media mentions of the firm and our attorneys, raising visibility of coverage across the firm
• Repurpose media coverage into content for LinkedIn, internal newsletters, attorney bios, and other firm channels in coordination with the social media and digital teams
• Support storytelling around pro bono, social impact, and well-being initiatives

Media lists, monitoring, and measurements

• Identify key media targets and build and maintain media lists for targeted journalist engagement
• Manage daily media monitoring and coverage tracking through related tools (e.g., Meltwater, Cision, and Muck Rack)
• Maintain and improve the Media Relations team’s document management system and reporting functions
• Prepare regular reports on media coverage, share of voice, and campaign performance for firm leadership, practice groups, and industry teams

Cross-functional collaboration

• Partner with practice groups and industry teams to align media activity with their strategic priorities and business development goals
• Support event-related media outreach around firm conferences, sponsored programming, and other high-profile activities
• Assist with issues management and reactive media matters, including drafting holding statements and helping coordinate internal responses
• Coordinate with external PR agencies or vendors as needed

Innovation and continuous improvement

• Apply AI and emerging technology tools to enhance media workflows, including drafting support, media list-building, and monitoring
• Stay current on trends in legal media, industry publications, and PR best practices, and share insights with the team and appropriate stakeholders
• Perform other duties as assigned

To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each essential job responsibility listed above, satisfactorily, with or without reasonable accommodation. Nixon Peabody retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position. The requirements listed below are representative of the skills and abilities required.

• 3–5 years of experience in journalism and/or public relations, preferably within a law firm, public relations agency, or a professional services environment.
• Experience with social media management encouraged.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field required. Experience in lieu of a degree will be considered.
• Proficient writing, editing, and proofreading skills. Ability to distill complex details into succinct information for a range of audiences
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to build productive relationships with personnel at all levels, including attorneys and key stakeholders
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously without compromising quality
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure with strict timelines
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and work productively with a variety of personalities
• Technology fluency across tools including AI platforms, media-related tools, and digital collaboration and content management systems

In accordance with applicable Federal and State laws, the anticipated annual salary range for this position, depending on location, is as follows:

• Albany, NY: $70,500 to $104,500
• Manchester, NH: $70,500 to $104,500
• Providence, RI: $70,500 to $104,500
• Rochester, NY: $70,500 to $104,500
• Boston, MA: $77,500 to $114,950
• Washington, DC: $77,500 to $114,950
• New York, NY: $85,000 to $126,500

In addition to a standard benefits package, this role may be eligible for additional contingent compensation based on an array of factors, including but not limited to: work performance, geographic location, work experience, education, and qualifications. Because such contingent compensation is not yet calculable or may be zero ($0) in some circumstances, the above-listed salary range(s) are Nixon Peabody’s good faith estimate of the annual salary(ies) it reasonably expects to pay for the position at the time of this posting.

Nixon Peabody LLP is an Equal Opportunity / affirmative action Employer: Disability / Veteran. Nixon Peabody is committed to creating a fair workplace and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

To comply with Federal law, Nixon Peabody participates in E-Verify. All newly hired employees are verified through this electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm their identity and employment eligibility. Please refer to the Notice of E-Verify Participation and the Right to Work posters on the Nixon Peabody Careers page for more information.