Business Development Manager, Securities and Financial Services

WilmerHale; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 163,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Profit sharing

Paid time off

Job summary

WilmerHale, a leading international law firm, seeks a Business Development Manager in Washington, DC, to partner with SFS practice leaders and senior lawyers. You will craft strategic plans, identify growth targets, and drive cross‑selling opportunities across geographies.

You will lead pitches and client events, translate market insights into actionable growth strategies, oversee budgets, and mentor junior BD staff.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in legal business development, marketing, or professional services.
• Bachelor’s degree required.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a trusted business development advisor to partners, working with practice leaders to develop and implement strategic BD plans.
• Supports practice and partner‑level planning, including growth priorities and cross‑selling opportunities.
• Leads pitches, proposals, and RFP responses with attorneys and experts.
• Develops knowledge of SFS practices, clients, industries, and regulatory developments to identify growth opportunities.
• Oversees client events and seminars as part of BD programs.
• Partners with attorneys on client initiatives, including growth strategies and relationship mapping.
• Manages BD budgets and tracks spend.
• Mentors BD team members and fosters a high‑performance culture.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Job Description

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 sits within the Clients and Markets group working primarily with the Securities and Financial Services (SFS) Department. Clients and Markets assists SFS and the firm’s legal departments with identifying and pursuing qualified opportunities for gaining new and expanding existing client relationships, and with planning and executing a wide range of strategic business development and marketing activities.

The Business Development Manager works directly with partners and senior lawyers across SFS to assess business development needs, develop tailored strategies, and lead the execution of business development initiatives. This role supports all SFS practices, including a focus on Financial Institutions, Investment Management, Securities Litigation and Enforcement, and Digital Assets. The role serves as a strategic advisor to partners, combining market insight, data analysis, and executional leadership to drive practice and client growth.

What You Will Be Doing

• Serves as a trusted business development advisor to partners, working directly with practice leaders and partners to develop and implement strategic business development plans and activities.
• Supports practice and partner‑level business planning, including identification of growth priorities, target clients, and cross‑selling opportunities across practices and geographies.
• Leads certain pitches, proposals, and RFP responses in collaboration with attorneys and subject‑matter experts.
• Develops deep knowledge of SFS practices, clients, industries, and regulatory developments to identify growth and cross‑selling opportunities.
• Leads the planning and execution of certain client events, sponsorships, seminars, and other business development programs.
• Partners with attorneys on key client and priority client initiatives, including development of client plans, relationship mapping, and client‑specific growth strategies.
• Oversees legal directory and award submissions for SFS practices as needed.
• Collaborates with attorneys and marketing communications colleagues to identify and advance thought leadership opportunities, including articles, alerts, webinars, and speaking engagements.
• Supports lateral partner integration efforts by developing tailored business development plans and facilitating internal connectivity.
• Assists with managing business development budgets and tracking spend.
• Helps supervise, mentor, and develop business development team members, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture and supporting career development, skill building, and advancement opportunities.

What You Will Bring to This Position

• Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects in a fast‑paced environment.
• Experience working directly with partners and senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate data, market insight, and client intelligence into actionable business development strategies.

Required Experience

• 10+ years of experience in legal business development, marketing, or professional services.
• Experience supporting regulated industries or financial services practices preferred.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required.

Why Join Us?

• A values‑driven firm that fosters collaboration and respect
• The hiring range for this position is $162,700 - $203,400 annually, with final compensation based on experience, qualifications and internal equity.
• 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. 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.