L Magazine
American Lawyer Media
345 Park Ave. South
New York, NY 10016
212/779-9200
Law students don't mind a little "R" and "R" during study break time, which is why American Lawyer Media launched the quarterly L Magazine in November. ALM publishers wanted law school students to have something to call their own. Targeting the future money-makers, L Magazine combines practical information with lighthearted commentary, jokes, research and stories geared toward the needs and wants of the students.
"Law school students want something diversionary, fun and useful," says Editor/Publisher Michael Winkleman. The premiere issue of L features TV personality (and lawyer) Ben Stein on its cover. His presence captures the magazine's niche, since Stein is not just a lawyer and Yale Law School graduate, but a well-known comedian and commercial personality. The magazine launched right before law school finals last semester, with 31 pages of study break daydream material and informative pieces with law-student perspective. First-issue content included an article comparing TV lawyers to actual lawyers, a profile of a successful law student and reviews of good thriller books to read during semester break.
Sections
Exhibit A - innovations, cultures and trends.
Recess - the fun stuff, including books to read for leisure and advice
on how to network.
The Bar - advice on studying and mentally prepping for the Bar exam (and
a peek at the people who grade it).
Careers - a section about the many paths law school students can take
(even if they don't want to be lawyers).
Money - how to manage your debt, money investment advice, etc.
"Everything that we address in this publication is addressed in a way
that is fun and hip," Winkleman says.
Editors/Lead Time
Winkleman leads the magazine's editorial direction, and he prefers being pitched by email to [email protected] or by mail to the aforementioned address. Lead time is 3-4 months.
Stories for Exhibit A should be sent by mail to the attention of Seth Oltman.
Other magazine sections are supplied by ALM sister publication contributors and freelance writers with insight about law school.
Pitch Tips
When it comes to what you should pitch, "know where in the magazine it would fit," Winkleman says.
If a PR professional can pitch a story in a way that makes it appealing to law students, it has a chance of being a hit.
This is a great opportunity to be creative, though, since law students' extracurricular interests are just as versatile as their post-law school career interests.
For example, "extreme sports have little to do with law but all work and no play make a law student a dull person," Winkleman says.
And as always, the usual rules apply with L magazine.
"I really can't stand pitches that show a person didn't read the magazine," Winkleman says.
Cool, cutting-edge equipment and technology toys are welcome.
Comments
The January/February issue will arrive the beginning of next semester, followed by March's spring issue.
Although the first issue contained virtually no PR influence, Winkleman says he hopes to receive good story pitches he can incorporate into L's content.
Notably, he's been on the other side of the coin, as an editor of Public Relations Journal and at Adweek.
The advantage of L's launch with American Lawyer Media is that when law school students outgrow the publication, they'll look favorably at the publisher's other law publications, such as Legal Times, Winkleman says.
L magazine is distributed to 129 law schools and reaches more than 50,000 law students.