Communications Executive

At BCLP, we’ve built our firm on the foundations of thinking differently. Curious, inquisitive and unbound by tradition, we’re building change within our sector and beyond.

It starts with our people, which is why we need a Communications Executive to join our Marketing and Business Development team and play a fundamental role on BCLP’s global Communications Team to support the Firm’s strategy, focusing on the three key practices of Litigation & Investigations, Real Estate and Corporate & Finance Transactions alongside key industry sectors. With the Senior Communications Manager, you will support PR and media relations efforts to raise both lawyer and the Firm’s profiles, elevate and safeguard the Firm’s reputation and guide key stakeholders on PR best practices to deliver strong external communications. Additionally, you will provide support for the firm’s internal and brand communications efforts.

Reporting to the Senior Communications Manager, you’ll also be part of the wider global Marketing & Business Development team and work closely with these colleagues to support with communications on major campaigns, sponsorships, Inclusion & Diversity and Corporate Responsibility, and firm-wide initiatives.

What’s in it for you?

You’ll be joining a highly respected and collegial team within a dynamic and ambitious law firm. The Communications Team has a flat structure, senior exposure, and there will be plenty of opportunities to use your creative flair, help the Firm tell its story, and grow in the role. You'll be surrounded by an open, collaborative culture that embraces diversity, recognition and professional development.

You’ll be responsible for:

• External Communications:

Press Office – Practices and Sectors: Support the Firm’s priority practices within its three global Departments: Corporate & Finance Transactions, Litigation & Investigations, and Real Estate, together with key industry sectors such as Sports & Entertainment, Hotels & Leisure and Banking driving daily proactive and reactive media relations within the UK and globally.

You’ll support the firm’s corporate communications programmes, helping to develop and maintain media relationships and managing news hook calendars. You’ll engage with media daily, keeping abreast of media moves and role/beat changes for journalists. You’ll engage with the topics of interest to our practices and sectors, contributing to news monitoring and delivering news reports and analysis. You will draft press releases, media statements, media pitches and award entries, as well as support on issues management, including drafting of Q&A and media statements. You’ll compile activity reports, helping to keep the teams on track with deliverables.

• Corporate Reputation Management: Working alongside the rest of the Communications Team, you will support upholding the Firm’s corporate reputation which includes shared responsibility for publicising firm-specific initiatives, leadership appointments and lateral hires and promotions, as well as other key milestones for the Firm such as the annual financial results, Inclusion & Diversity and Corporate Responsibility programmes, alongside HR programmes to attract and retain talent.

• Campaigns: Working with the wider marketing Campaigns Team on delivering communications to support profile-raising and awareness in key media (legal, sector and national) on specific projects.

• Social Media and Digital: You will assist with keeping the News and Insights section of the website up to date with fresh and relevant content. You will also assist with the social media content plan and create/post content to the Firm’s social media platforms, working alongside our Social Media Manager.

• Strategy, Tactics and Process: You will assist the team with creating strategy and process documents (including notes, plans, Q&As and trackers) to ensure that we effectively execute on our communications initiatives.

• Evaluation: You will be expected to maintain accurate records of the firm’s media opportunities and successes feeding into the monthly Global Communications report for the Board.

• Legal Awards: Compile and submit relevant annual awards entries.

• Ad hoc projects: Both internal and external communications may require your support from time to time.

Key Relationships:

In addition to the Global Communications team, which sits within the wider BCLP Marketing and Business Development function, you will also work closely with the firm’s business development and marketing professionals. As a team, we have numerous dealings with the Firm’s global and country leadership. In particular, this role will work closely with the UK Managing Partner. You will develop and manage relationships with our most senior lawyers and Business Development teams, as well as building relationships with key journalists.

Additionally, you will serve as a point of contact for the firm’s retained PR agency for the UK, with some engagement with the firm’s retained PR agencies in France and Germany.

Skills and experience required:

• Communications/PR experience, in-house professional service or agency, is essential

• Excellent organisational, planning and people skills

• Collaborative spirit

• Ability to build strong rapport/relationships at all levels within the Firm

• Time management and the ability to prioritise a varied workload and plan ahead

• Ability to work effectively and independently within a busy team

• Takes a pragmatic, can-do approach

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

• Calm under pressure and able to meet deadlines

• Familiar with LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X

• Degree educated or equivalent

At Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner we understand the value of a diverse workforce and we believe people perform at their best when they can truly be themselves at work. We aim to create an inclusive environment where all our employees are valued, motivated and able to be themselves. In order to provide the best possible service to our diverse client base, we are committed to recruiting, retaining, rewarding and developing our people with regard to their abilities and contributions and without reference to their background, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, political belief, disability or any other protected characteristic.