American Lawyer names new executive editor

Robin Sparkman has been named the new executive editor at American Lawyer magazine, according to a news release.

Sparkman, formerly editor in chief of Corporate Counsel magazine, will report to editor in chief Aric Press and replaces David Brown who was appointed editor in chief of sister publication Legal Times in Washington, D.C., in 2007.

Sparkman, 38, has headed Corporate Counsel, a business magazine for chief legal officers, since 2001. The magazine is a three-time Neal Award finalist and the winner of multiple American Society of Business Publishers and Editors awards. In 2007, Sparkman added the title of deputy editorial director for the company’s
national magazines.

Sparkman is a noted speaker on legal and journalism issues, and serves as a judge for the National Magazine Awards. Before joining ALM, she spent five years as an editor for the business and opinion sections of MSNBC.com. Sparkman was one of the founding members of the site, one of the world’s top Web news sources. She is also a former reporter for Newsweek and covered terrorism, the United Nations and politics for the newsweekly. Sparkman is a magna cum laude graduate of Wellesley College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

“Robin has done a terrific job as editor in chief of Corporate Counsel. I expect that she will bring the same energy and skill to her new role,” said Press.

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