Business Development Director

Godfrey & Kahn; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Godfrey & Kahn seeks a Director of Business Development to lead the firm’s BD efforts, partnering with attorneys and practice groups to pursue growth opportunities and strengthen client relationships.

Reporting to the COO and working with the Marketing Director, you will develop BD initiatives, train attorneys, and foster collaboration across the firm to enhance market presence and client service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or a J.D. and 7–10 years of BD or client-relations experience.
• Proven ability to influence without direct authority.
• Experience partnering with attorneys or senior professionals.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead BD efforts and partner with attorneys to drive growth.
• Coach attorneys in BD activities and client development.
• Develop annual BD plans and cross-practice collaboration.
• Coordinate proposals, pitches, and marketing materials.
• Collaborate with Marketing to align BD with firm strategy.

Skills

Relationship building

Project management

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or J.D.

Tools

CRM platforms

AI in marketing and BD

Microsoft Office

Job description

Help attorneys turn relationships into opportunities and opportunities into growth. As Director of Business Development, you'll partner directly with attorneys, practice groups, and firm leadership to strengthen client relationships, identify new business opportunities, and support practice growth. Through attorney coaching, business development training, cross-practice collaboration, referral network management, and client development initiatives, you'll play a central role in helping our attorneys and the firm succeed. If you enjoy building relationships, influencing without direct authority, and making a tangible impact, you'll thrive in this role.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Business Development leads the firm's business development (BD) efforts, partnering with attorneys and practice groups to support client development, pursue growth opportunities, strengthen client relationships, and enhance the firm's market presence.

Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, this role works closely with the Marketing Director to develop and implement BD initiatives, attorney training, and client development programs that help attorneys grow their practices while fostering a collaborative culture of business development across the firm.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Development Leadership

• Chair the firm's BD Committee, partnering with shareholder representatives to advance firmwide initiatives and monitor progress.
• Represent the firm within the Private Enterprise Counsel (PEC) network, leverage the firm's TerraLex membership, monitor inbound and outbound referrals, and identify opportunities through strategic partnerships, referral networks, and legal industry associations.
• Champion a culture of BD by encouraging collaboration, accountability, and attorney engagement across the firm.

Client Development and Market Intelligence

• Support initiatives that strengthen client relationships, identify opportunities to expand services to existing clients, and coordinate client feedback programs.
• Conduct research on clients, prospects, industries, competitors, and market trends to identify opportunities that support attorney business development efforts.
• Maintain and share BD intelligence, including prospect research, referral activity, target lists, and client relationship information to support decision-making and firm growth.

Attorney and Practice Group Support

• Build trusted relationships with attorneys and practice groups to understand their practices, clients, and growth objectives.
• Partner with attorneys and practice group leaders to identify BD opportunities, develop annual BD plans, and monitor progress toward growth objectives.
• Identify and facilitate cross-selling and collaboration opportunities among attorneys and practice groups to strengthen client relationships and expand the firm's service offerings.
• Coach and support attorneys in BD activities, including client meetings, networking, speaking engagements, conferences, and relationship development.

Business Development Training and Professional Development

• Lead the firm's BD training initiatives in partnership with Learning & Development, with a focus on associates and new shareholders.
• Coordinate internal and external subject matter experts to deliver practical programming focused on relationship development, networking, client service, cross-selling, presentation skills, and BD planning.
• Develop BD tools, resources, and best practices, and evaluate programming to ensure it continues to meet attorney and firm needs.

Proposals, Pitches, and Business Development Materials

• Coordinate responses to requests for proposals (RFPs) and other competitive opportunities, collaborating with attorneys and the marketing team to develop compelling proposals, presentations, and other client-facing materials.
• Maintain representative matters, proposal content, and experience databases.
• Coordinate legal directory, ranking, and award submissions with the marketing team.

Collaboration with Marketing

• Partner closely with the Marketing Director to align BD priorities with marketing initiatives that support attorney, practice group, and firm objectives.
• Collaborate on thought leadership campaigns, client alerts, seminars, sponsorships, website content, attorney biographies, and other initiatives that enhance the firm's visibility and client engagement.
• Share attorney feedback, client insights, and market intelligence to inform marketing strategies and evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Legal Studies, or a related field, or a J.D.
• A minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible business development, client relationship, or professional services experience, preferably within a law firm.
• Demonstrated success partnering with attorneys or senior professionals to develop business development initiatives and influence without direct authority.
• Ability to build trusted relationships, collaborate across departments, and exercise sound judgment in a fast-paced, client-service environment.
• Strong project management, organizational, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience with CRM platforms, AI in marketing and BD, Microsoft Office applications, and other business development technology.