Assistant Manager, Communications

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett•New York, NY

6d•$140,000 - $180,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is one of the world’s leading international law firms. The Firm was established in 1884 and has approximately 2,000 lawyers. Headquartered in New York with offices in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Palo Alto, San Francisco, São Paulo, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., the Firm provides coordinated legal advice and transactional capability to clients around the globe. The Communications team is responsible for identifying and evaluating opportunities to promote and drive visibility around Simpson Thacher’s key practices, partners, and offices. Opportunity We are seeking a driven, creative, and experienced Assistant Manager of Communications to join our Communications team. In this role, you'll work closely with the Associate Director of Communications and collaborate with the Client Development and Engagement (CDE) team to support initiatives that drive the Firm’s growth. This position is a key part of the CDE department, advancing business priorities through impactful communications for the Litigation department and our Washington, D.C. office. Additionally, you will collaborate on initiatives across various practice groups and engage with Firm leadership and Partners, providing a valuable opportunity for professional growth and visibility within a leading international law firm. This is a highly visible role working directly with Firm leadership, partners and other stakeholders. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in creating integrated, multi-channel communications strategies, media relations, authored and bylined content, awards submissions, and digital/social media engagement. They should also have familiarity with and experience in the legal industry and litigation space.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, government and policy, or a related field
Minimum 5–7 years of relevant experience, preferably at a law firm, PR agency or financial services/professional services firm
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
Ability to distill complex matters into clear, compelling narratives for external audiences
Strong research, problem-solving and analytical skills, as well as attention to detail
Proven ability to work independently as well as collaboratively across teams and in a large organization; ability to exercise initiative and sound judgment
Experience coordinating with global colleagues; comfort navigating multiple time zones on fast‑moving matters
Strong project management and organizational skills with demonstrated ability to prioritize and balance competing demands in a fast-paced, professional environment
Ability to develop buy-in, interact well and build professional relationships with co-workers, stakeholders and media while maintaining a high level of professionalism, customer service, diplomacy and discretion
Ability to effectively share knowledge and resources with appropriate parties, both internal and external
Comfort managing sensitive information and exercising discretion in high-stakes or time-sensitive situations
Must be flexible and willing to work additional hours as needed

Nice To Haves

Deep understanding of litigation and familiarity with the legal industry
Experience with Foundation, Smartsheets, Meltwater, Roxhill, and other PR/monitoring platforms as well as Microsoft 365 Productivity Apps
Experience with generative AI and AI-enabled platforms such as Copilot, DeepJudge, Harvey and others
Existing relationships with legal, business and industry reporters
Familiarity with editorial calendars, KPI dashboards, and content tracking tools‑tracking tools

Responsibilities

Own the day‑to‑day communications for Simpson Thacher’s Litigation PR programs, providing first‑line counsel to partners and escalating complex issues to senior Communications leadership, ensuring alignment with Firm priorities and risk considerations.
Plan and execute coverage around high‑impact litigation victories and matters, coordinating with partners, client teams and, when needed, external PR agencies, ensuring messaging accuracy and consistency across all channels.
Prepare talking points, Q&A and media training for partners ahead of interviews and/or high‑visibility matters, including briefing materials tailored to case dynamics and media interest.
Repurpose owned and earned content such as bylines and commentary into multi‑channel efforts by partnering with colleagues across the CDE department, including Social, Awards, Graphics, Events, and practice-focused business development teams to amplify content across web, email and LinkedIn.
Build and maintain relationships with key media outlets and contacts and facilitate the development of relationships for key partners, including proactive outreach around relevant litigation and regulatory developments.
Monitor news and industry‑specific media to keep current with industry knowledge and identify relevant trends affecting the Firm’s litigation practices, providing timely insights to internal stakeholders.
Assist with drafting internal and external Firm materials, including partner biographies, office newsletters, practice area descriptions and other content that effectively communicates the Firm’s value proposition, ensuring clarity, tone alignment and accuracy.
Support CDE projects and other Firm initiatives as needed, contributing communications expertise to cross‑functional efforts.
Perform various business and operational support functions related to Communications and CDE strategies, policies, procedures and initiatives while ensuring consistency in messaging and brand standards, including maintaining organized workflows and documentation.
Define and report KPIs (quality placements, message pull‑through, SOV vs. peers, reach/engagement) and translate results into actionable recommendations for future planning.
Train and mentor junior team members, foster shared standards and best practices across CDE.