Business Development Manager - Transactional

Clients and Markets --> Business Development

WilmerHale is a leading, full-service international law firm with 1,000 lawyers located throughout 12 offices in the United States and Europe. Our lawyers work at the intersection of government, technology and business, and we remain committed to our guiding principles of providing quality, excellent legal and client services; developing diversity among our lawyers and staff and cultivating an environment that promotes an ambitious spirit, collaboration and collegiality by drawing on the extraordinary talents and dynamic experience of our lawyers. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our clients and the communities in which we practice.

About the Role

This position helps drive the business development initiatives of the Transactional Department, and its individual practice groups. The Manager serves as a Business Development “customer-service” contact for attorneys by either providing strategic guidance and support directly, or coordinating with other Clients & Markets Department team members to ensure services are provided efficiently and effectively.

The Business Development Manager acts as a go-to lead for transactional practice group business development and marketing projects and initiatives including, but not limited to, the implementation of strategic business development activities, significant contributions to pitches and RFPs, strategic market and company research, developing and maintaining compelling and tailored marketing materials, overseeing market visibility and recognition efforts, managing events and sponsorships to maximize the firm’s return on investment and implement best practices, and developing technical understanding of the legal needs of clients and prospects at all stages of development (from early-stage startups to multinational public companies), the role of referral networks in generating revenue and key target industries to help proactively spot burgeoning issues and business trends and identify business development and/or profile raising opportunities to pursue.

This role also involves serving as the central point of contact for assigned offices. The person in this role will have the opportunity to build relationships with the entrepreneurial and active partners in assigned offices across practices, and be a conduit to their specific go-to business development and marketing teams located in offices throughout the country.

Demonstrates a strong commitment to professionalism by setting clear expectations and ensuring the delivery of high‑quality service. Fosters and reinforces a positive, solution‑oriented (‘can‑do’) approach across the team. Ensures effective support of internal departments, external clients, and vendors by modeling and requiring clear, courteous communication through electronic correspondence, telephone, and in‑person interactions.

What You Will Be Doing

Business Development

• Works with practice groups to implement business development projects and initiatives to support new business development goals.
• Leverages the firm’s experience and industry knowledge, in accordance with department-wide best practices, to develop pitches and presentations that are responsive to companies’ specific needs.
• Uses experience to offer strategic advice and options to lawyers preparing to approach potential clients and in looking to expand relationships.
• Develops and maintains “trusted advisor” partner relationships within the Transactional Department and assigned offices.
• Develops tailored marketing collateral and deal lists and ensures that content of materials – including practice descriptions, fact sheets and lawyer biographies – meet industry best practices, remain up to date and are written to clearly highlight the unique strengths of each practice area and attorney.
• Helps maintain the firm’s experience and content management database (Foundation) for corporate deals and representative matters, including overseeing league table reporting, as well as client data and mailing lists in our CRM tool (InterAction); performs queries and generates reports as needed.
• Uses business intelligence, business development tools and research to identify opportunities for new work for existing clients and, helps to identify opportunities to connect internal capabilities and resources in support of revenue generation.
• Works with practice groups to analyze research on existing and prospective clients to aid in the development of customized pitches, presentations, and proposals.
• Works with practice groups to monitor industry, sector and market trends, as well as competitor activity, to identify business development opportunities.
• Leads various aspects of lateral partner onboarding and practice group strategic planning, including initiatives related to the planned growth and expansion of the corporate practice group.

Thought Leadership/External Visibility

• Supports business development and marketing strategies by monitoring competitors, news intelligence and market data sources to spot trends and identify opportunities to grow visibility for our practices, including outward facing activities such as sponsored events, in-house presentations, professional speaking opportunities and articles, and other publications.
• Helps oversee and manage relationships with external organizations that provide thought leadership and market visibility opportunities, advocating for the firm’s inclusion and recognition in programs and events.
• Oversees project teams for firm events including seminars, webinars, client entertainment and receptions, and leads the evaluation and recommendation of sponsorships and memberships in assigned offices.
• Manages the development of critical legal directory and award submissions (Chambers USA, Legal 500, etc.), by evaluating and improving strategy and ensuring high quality responses.
• In collaboration with Clients & Markets colleagues, helps identify and promote (internally and externally) deals, matters, client news and other lawyer and practice highlights to build profiles for practice group and individual attorneys.

People Management/Leadership

• Provides mentorship, training and guidance for junior members within the Clients & Markets Department.
• Serves as a day-to-day point of contact for Business Development Specialists and Coordinators supporting the Transactional Department for questions and guidance, reviews and provides feedback on work, and assigns projects based on team members’ workloads, professional goals and areas of expertise.
• Monitors practice group business development budgets and evaluates return on investment for expenditures.
• Views and deploys collaboration with colleagues and other departments as a critical factor in service excellence.
• Assumes additional responsibilities as assigned.

Required Skills

What You Will Bring to This Position

• Strong independent thinking and execution, and mature professional judgment.
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines and changing project criteria.
• Demonstrable analytic skills, organizational skills, initiative and vision.
• Superior oral and written communications skills, including professional presentation abilities, and excellence in grammar and proofreading.
• Proven experience in a dynamic environment with high expectations for superior client service, attention to detail and quality.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships across all levels of the organization, and track record of establishing trust and credibility with lawyers/clients in order to understand their needs and deliver thoughtful support.
• Thrives in a collegial team environment with a flexible mindset, eye towards continuous improvement, and willingness to collaborate and lend support where needed.
• Extensive working knowledge of Microsoft Suite, Foundation, PitchBook, ON24 and InterAction preferred.
• Remains open to technological change as generative AI becomes more integrated into the firm’s practice, actively develop comfort with new tools, and adapt how work is performed to support efficiency and innovation.

Required Experience

Education

Experience

• Minimum of eight to ten years of experience in legal environment or professional services marketing and business development role preferred.
• At least three years of demonstrated people management experience is required.
• Knowledge of corporate practice areas and deal types (M&A, Private Equity, Capital Markets/Debt Finance and Venture Capital) and industries including financial services, life sciences and technology a plus.

Why Join Us?

• A values driven firm that fosters collaboration and respect
• The hiring range for this position is $180,960 - $226,200 annually, with final compensation based on experience, qualifications and internal equity.
• This position is eligible for a Hybrid Schedule
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match and profit-sharing options
• Paid time off and holidays
• For additional information about our benefits, please click here
  

Our Commitment

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (WilmerHale) is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable laws prohibiting employment discrimination. It is our policy to take all employment actions and make all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, citizenship status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, disability, military status, status as a disabled or other protected veteran, or any other protected status under applicable law. WilmerHale will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities and otherwise as required by applicable law.

For more information about Equal Employment Opportunity, please click here.

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This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by employees in the position. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills for positions. The firm reserves the right at all times, in its sole discretion, to add or subtract duties and responsibilities, as it deems necessary.