Business Development Manager
Leading law firm
Disputes & Advisory
London
Hybrid working
Business Development Manager
Disputes and Advisory | London | Up to £95,000
My client is a highly regarded independent City law firm with a strong position in the UK private capital market. The firm advises high-growth and mid-market businesses, investors, lenders, entrepreneurs and management teams at important stages in their development, combining transactional expertise with a broad range of contentious and advisory services.
As the firm continues to grow, it is investing in its business development capability and creating a more focused approach to supporting its core practices. This newly created role will work directly with partners across Dispute Resolution, Restructuring and Insolvency, Employment and Real Estate, helping them develop valuable relationships, identify and pursue opportunities, and strengthen their profile in the market.
The breadth of the portfolio makes this an interesting opportunity for someone with disputes or advisory experience who enjoys working across connected practices. The role covers commercial litigation and arbitration, shareholder disputes, contentious insolvency, complex employment matters and real estate advisory, transactional and litigation work.
Reporting directly to the Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, you will have considerable ownership within a lean structure. Partners are engaged with the firm’s growth plans and welcome dedicated business development support, giving you the opportunity to influence priorities while remaining closely involved in delivery across client development, pitches, campaigns and events.
Key responsibilities
- Work closely with partners to implement business development plans across the Disputes and Advisory practices
- Identify and develop opportunities with prospective clients, existing relationships, referrers and intermediaries
- Lead pitches and proposals, coordinating specialist input and developing clear, relevant positioning
- Use client and market intelligence to inform targeting, campaigns and practice priorities
- Develop focused outreach and relationship-building activity through the firm’s CRM and digital tools
- Plan and deliver client events, seminars, webinars and partnership initiatives, with structured follow-up
- Manage legal directory and award submissions in collaboration with the wider team
- Coordinate activity across business development, marketing, communications and client intelligence
- Maintain momentum against agreed priorities and provide partners with clear visibility of progress
About you
- You will have 4 to 7 years’ business development and marketing experience gained within a law firm or wider professional services environment. Experience supporting dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, employment, real estate or another relevant advisory practice will be important.
- You do not need experience across every area within the portfolio, but you should understand at least 1 of its core disciplines and be able to establish credibility with partners quickly. You will be comfortable influencing senior stakeholders and taking responsibility for projects from initial discussion through to delivery.
- Strong writing, presentation and project management skills are essential, together with the ability to manage competing priorities within a lean team. The firm will also consider relevant experience gained in other partnership-led professional services environments where there is suitable practice knowledge and evidence of working effectively with senior professionals.
- You will be commercially minded, practical and comfortable working independently. An interest in digital tools and the developing use of AI within business development would also be valuable.
The firm operates a hybrid working pattern, with 3 days per week in the London office and 2 days working remotely.
Equal Opportunities
As a responsible business, it is important that we represent the diversity of our people, our clients and our communities. We believe that the firms that thrive are those with the most diverse team; that's why we work so hard to source the best talent from the broadest pool possible. As an equal opportunities employer we strive to accommodate anyone who may have specific needs. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the selection process, please talk to a member of the recruitment team so that any required adjustments can be made in advance.