The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) seeks an energetic legal professional to manage the production of the Illinois Bar Journal (IBJ) and oversee the production of ISBA section newsletters, the IBJ advertising program, and the Illinois Courts Bulletin. The Illinois Bar Journal Managing Editor position will be based in the Springfield, Illinois headquarters of the ISBA.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS 

• Manage production of the monthly Illinois Bar Journal, in consultation with the IBJ Editor & Publisher; solicit, edit, and manage content-flow of articles; generate timely and high value article ideas; create content for IBJ (e.g., columns); supervise freelancers who produce lead articles and columns; manage relationship with IBJ printer; perform online indexing and subject-matter tagging.
• Oversee production of ISBA section newsletters (day-to-day management performed by newsletter managing editor).
• Oversee the IBJ advertising program (day-to-day management performed by advertising coordinator).
• Proofread and edit the Illinois Courts Bulletin.
• Author weekly blog post for Illinois Lawyer Now.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Illinois Bar Journal Editorial Board.
• Stay abreast of developments in digital information technology (e.g., apps, tablet-friendly versions) and implement as appropriate.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent communications skills
• Supervisory/management skills
• Excellent work ethic
• Excellent organizational skills—must be able to manage multiple projects at once
• Ability to manage time and meet deadlines
• Knowledge of (ideally, training and experience in) the law
• Understanding and willingness to stay abreast of evolving digital communication technology

REQUIREMENTS

J.D. degree with journalism/communications experience preferred, but candidates with a bachelor’s degree or higher in journalism (or related field) plus at least one year’s experience in legal-related publishing will be considered.

To read the full job description, visit the ISBA Career Center.