Director, Communications AALDP

A national leader in experiential and interdisciplinary legal education, the University of Denver Sturm College of Law is widely regarded as one of the nations most innovative and ascendant law schools. Located in a beautiful, distinctive, and economically dynamic city, the Sturm College of Law offers full- and part-time JD programs, a set of pioneering and nationally recognized Masters degree programs, and certificate programs in animal law, constitutional rights and remedies, corporate and commercial law, environmental and natural resources law, intellectual property law, international law, and workplace law. The law school features a faculty of nationally recognized scholar-teachers, an outstanding and diverse student body, an accomplished and highly professional staff, and roughly 17,000 alumni who have achieved careers of distinction in law, business, government, public interest, and other professional domains.

Through research, teaching, and public engagement, the Animal Law Program at the Sturm College of Law seeks to elevate awareness about the well-being of non-human animals and to prepare the next generation of professionals to engage with the legal and moral issues surrounding the use of animals for food, entertainment, experimentation, and fashion. In 2022, supported by a generous set of gift funds, the Animal Law Program plans to develop an Animal Activist Legal Defense Project to provide legal representation and strategic communications support for activists engaged in investigations, protests, rescues, and other forms of action that seek to advance the welfare of non-human animals.

Position Summary

The Animal Activist Legal Defense Project (AALDP) at the Sturm College of Law seeks a Communications Director to build and manage a communications program to advance its work. The Communications Director will establish a plan and put into place practices for promoting AALDP’s cases and projects across earned and owned media; raising the Project’s profile among fellow animal advocates; and involving law students in AALDP’s work. This position will also require event planning and non-communications tasks, such as overall project management, budgeting, and other tasks to be determined by the AALDP Faculty Director.

This position is eligible for full remote work.

Essential Functions

Communications, Media Relations

• Manage and create AALDP’s communications.
• Create and maintain press lists; also manage email list.
• Build and maintain relationships with key reporters.
• Respond to press inquiries and arrange media interviews.
• Draft and send press releases, advisories, availabilities, and other press documents.
• Shape messaging and draft talking points.
• Stay up to date on news coverage of issues relevant to AALDP’s work.
• Draft opinion pieces as needed; and pitch stories and place opinion pieces.
• Create and manage social media accounts.
• Regularly solicit updates from AALDP Legal staff and clients to most effectively manage AALDP Communications.
• Facilitate AALDP branding and possible website creation and design.
• Coordinate with clients, co-counsel, and other collaborators to manage joint press efforts.

Event planning

• Manage or assist with the planning of events to promote AALDP’s work broadly and amongst students.
• Plan, organize, and promote events that raise AALDP’s profile and promote its mission within the animal rights movement.

Miscellaneous

• Maintain a central repository summarizing AALDP’s active projects and next steps for reference by all AALDP staff.
• Facilitate staff meetings, including agenda setting and managing outcomes.
• Assist with budget.
• Other tasks as assigned by the AALDP Faculty Director.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience managing social media and willingness to become proficient.
• Proficiency with legal terminology and an understanding of how civil and criminal cases proceed.
• Exceptional writing skills.
• Ability to respond rapidly to media inquiries in a fast-moving news cycle.
• Ability to take initiative and manage short- and long-term projects from conception to completion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in an area relevant to AALDP’s work.
• 5+ years professional Communications experience.
• Proven record of placing stories and opinion pieces at prominent publications.
• Extensive experience working with both non-profit organizations and grassroots groups.

Preferred Qualifications

• Personal and profession