BD Senior Manager, LAI

Linklaters; Greater London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global law firm is seeking a BD Senior Manager based in Greater London to lead the development of business strategies for the Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations practice. The role requires extensive experience in legal business development, strong relationship-building skills, and a strategic mindset. Candidates should be adept at leveraging data-driven insights to drive growth and enhance collaboration across teams. The firm offers a supportive culture focused on inclusivity and professional development.

Benefits

Private Medical Insurance

Free in-house fitness centre

Pension and flexible savings options

Emergency family care

Additional holiday/birthday leave

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in business development within legal services, ideally in Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations.
• Proven ability to design and deliver successful BD strategies.
• Strong track record of building relationships with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement business development strategies for the LAI practice.
• Build strong relationships with LAI partners and key stakeholders.
• Drive client and sector targeting strategies.

Skills

Business development in legal services

Relationship building with stakeholders

Analytical skills

Strategic thinking

Education

Degree in marketing, business or related discipline

Advanced leadership or marketing qualifications

Job description

About us:

Linklaters is a global law firm, providing legal services in 20 countries and through 30 offices.

Linklaters is a people business. Being best in class in the eyes of our clients means that our people must be exceptional.

We look not only for brilliant minds, but for people who will thrive in our environment: people who love working collaboratively and demonstrate the innovative, efficient, agile, entrepreneurial, and responsible mind‑set we aim to bring to every interaction.

Ours is an environment of outperformance. We achieve this not with targets and incentives, but by fostering a positive, supportive, fair, and open atmosphere.

We respect and value difference but insist on inclusivity. We celebrate all aspects of diversity and challenge any form of bias. This is vital to our ability to work as one team, with a common goal.

The Role:

We are looking for a BD Senior Manager to lead the development and delivery of business development strategies for selected cross‑office opportunities, driving growth for the Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations (LAI) practice. Working closely with the London team and the wider BDM function, you will ensure alignment with firm, client and sector priorities, leveraging data‑driven insights to shape strategy and maximise cross‑selling opportunities. This is a leadership role within the London LAI practice, offering significant scope for collaboration, innovation and impact.

Your Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement business development strategies for the LAI practice, ensuring alignment with global growth objectives and the firm’s wider strategy.
• Build strong relationships with LAI partners and key stakeholders to support strategic priorities and facilitate effective collaboration.
• Oversee the delivery of agreed BD initiatives, monitoring progress and adapting plans to achieve desired outcomes.
• Drive client and sector targeting strategies, ensuring alignment with priority clients and global BD objectives.
• Analyse data‑led insights to identify opportunities, manage pipelines and inform strategic decision‑making.
• Provide guidance on win strategies and lead the development of compelling pitches and panel submissions for LAI matters.
• Collaborate with global BD teams and the wider BDM function to maximise cross‑office connectivity and leverage shared resources.
• Coach and mentor junior BD colleagues, fostering capability and supporting professional development within the LAI practice.

What we’re looking for:

• Extensive experience in business development within legal services, ideally in Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations (LAI) or similar dispute‑focused areas.
• Proven ability to design and deliver successful BD strategies that align with firm‑wide and practice‑level objectives.
• Strong track record of building relationships with senior stakeholders and driving growth through cross‑selling across practices and sectors.
• Strategic thinker with excellent analytical skills and experience using data insights to inform BD decisions and pipeline management.
• Skilled in leading or influencing across global teams, leveraging shared resources and tools to enhance BD effectiveness.
• Degree in marketing, business or a related discipline, with preference for advanced leadership or marketing qualifications.

What’s on offer:

Health & Wellbeing

• Private Medical Insurance
• Free in‑house fitness centre and subsidised health club memberships
• Free onsite GP service and periodic health assessments

Finance

• Pension and flexible savings options
• Income protection and life assurance
• Mortgage advice and will‑writing services.

Family & Lifestyle

• Electric car and cycle to work schemes.
• Emergency family care
• Additional holiday/birthday leave.
• Maternity/paternity/shared parental leave.
• Travel insurance and season ticket loan
• Option to join sports and social clubs, as well as our employee networks groups (such as our Gender Equality, With Pride, or Social Mobility Networks)

If you think this role would suit you, please click apply below. We look forward to hearing from you!

Technical Skills

This list of duties and responsibilities above is not exhaustive. It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for, the performance of this job. As such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Application Policy

Applications and CVs (direct or via agency) are only accepted online via the portal. Queries related to our roles must be directed to the relevant recruitment team and not the partners, practices or stakeholders ( [e-mail] for legal roles or [e-mail] for business team roles ).