Meet Erin Johnson, Senior Marketing Manager for the Government Relations practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Erin Johnson is a Senior Marketing Manager for the Government Relations practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. She has worked in legal marketing for just over three years, and joined her firm about five months ago.
"The best part of my job is the diversity of day-to-day activity," Erin says. Her responsibilities for the Government Relations practice include communications, business development, marketing, PR and event planning. "It didn’t take me long to feel at home at the firm. The interview process was very thorough," she notes. "I met most of my team in DC and Atlanta and we discussed what I would be doing in detail. It was good to have a solid understanding of the job up front."
There are just over 30 attorneys and non-attorney professionals in the Government Relations practice, but Erin finds that her job involves a lot of crossover with other departments, especially now that law firms are focusing more on service to an industry as a whole rather than on narrowly defined practice areas. "The universe that our clients operate in has so many factors that impact the bottom line," Erin says, "Federal and state government is a big player in that universe—it cuts across every client base we have. We recently saw the impact that Congressional action had on the stock market. Clients are quickly realizing that it is important to be tuned in to what's happening on Capitol Hill. "
Erin says one of her professional goals is to be accessible to her practice team, but the challenge in working for a larger firm is geography. "It’s easy to get to know the people in your home office, and I’ve worked hard to establish relationships with the professionals in other offices and teams. Through scheduling face-to-face meetings while in other offices, I gain a better understanding within the firm of capabilities and experience. This enables me to help my team connect on related business opportunities."
In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, Erin has taken a leadership role within the marketing department. She is currently working on a new-hire orientation handbook that will cover firm-wide resources, policies and procedures, and use of the firm’s technology. She’s also on the firm’s holiday card and RFP database committees.
Erin has demonstrated her creative and strategic thinking on more than one occasion. She moved to Washington to take a job as an executive assistant and legislative aide to U.S. Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI), where she spent three years gaining valuable experience in government relations. "When I decided to go back to school for my Masters, I applied for jobs at schools I was considering," Erin says. "I knew what a degree would cost, so I looked for available positions at universities I wanted to attend. After one year as an administrative officer at Georgetown University, I was able to enroll with tuition covered as a benefit of the job." Erin completed her Masters degree in 2006.
When a wine-tasting event hosted by the Washington Wine Academy (WWA) that she wanted to attend was sold out, Erin asked if they needed any help running the event and ended up attending as a volunteer. She found that she really enjoyed working events, sometimes more than attending as a guest. For a couple of years, she spent her weekends as an event manager for Tarara Vineyard in Leesburg, VA and volunteering for WWA.
Erin joined LMA in 2008. In addition to finding the website and newsletters useful and relevant to her work, she appreciates being able to keep up with what other firms in the DC market are doing. Most of all, she likes networking with "future colleagues." She is also active in another job-related networking organization, Women in Government Relations.
Erin was born and raised in Wisconsin, where she still has family. "I will probably go back to school for my PhD at some point," she says, "I miss being in school. To be in DC and not take advantage of all the city has to offer is a missed opportunity."
Profile written by Elaine Noble, principal of Noble Pursuits, a graphic design and branding firm in Alexandria, Va.