Bell & Associates is seeking a direct-hire Public Relations Specialist in one of the following locations: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., office.
As a member of the broader Marketing team, the PR Specialist is primarily responsible for advancing and elevating external communications efforts for the firm, its attorneys and culture. This includes working with the responsible marketing managers in identifying and driving forward story ideas for key practice groups and attorneys, developing and executing public relations plans, arranging interviews and monitoring media coverage. The PR Specialist drafts and edits content for distribution to media publications, across the firm’s social media platforms and the website and works closely with Internal Communications on promoting the same efforts internally.
We are looking for a strong writer, ideally with experience in the legal industry, who can effectively communicate complex topics and the interesting work our attorneys do across different sectors and practice areas.
Responsibilities
- Draft press releases and other communications materials for firm news, accolades, lateral recruiting announcements and more
- Work closely with the social media, website and internal communications teams to ensure the full internal and external content life cycle
- Partner closely with key stakeholders to understand their public relations needs and work closely with them on content development
- Track media coverage, produce media reports and share relevant media coverage with internal stakeholders
- Maintain the awards tracker and collaborate with other marketing professionals on identifying suitable submission candidates.
- Draft copy for external awards submissions, interacting with attorneys, marketing professionals and practice groups to draft and submit nominations
- Assist in the development and implementation of strategic communications and public relations plans
- Develop and maintain relationships with key legal, business, and industry trade media and regularly pitch stories to them
- Work closely with the firm’s external PR agency on identifying and executing on media opportunities
- Vet and schedule media interviews with attorneys and draft talking points for media interviews
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required. English, communications, public relations, journalism, or other
- Minimum four years of experience required
- Legal industry experience required
- Editorial/journalism experience welcome
Skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Excellent attention to detail and proofreading skills, ability to produce error-free work product
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent organizational skills to work independently while engaging in projects with many moving parts
- Strong time management and project management skills with the demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
- Ability to work in a complex environment with tight deadlines
- Demonstrated ability to work with individuals at all levels across the firm as well as within the Marketing Department
- Demonstrated ability to solve problems, analyze situations and suggest appropriate solutions.
- Ability to adapt to different tones and voices for different audiences
- Understanding of the legal industry and trade press media landscape
- Strong MS Office skills