Business Development Specialist - Litigation

Nixon Peabody LLP; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 78,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Nixon Peabody LLP in Boston, MA is seeking a Business Development Specialist to support marketing across designated practice areas within Litigation. You will collaborate with attorneys and internal teams to advance client development, cross-selling, prospecting, and thought leadership.

The role emphasizes project coordination, event planning, content maintenance, and pitch support, with opportunities to contribute to CRM, directories, and campaigns.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of marketing or communications experience, or strong exposure to legal practice, preferably within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, English, Communications, or a related field required. Work experience in lieu of a degree will be considered.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Exemplary skills at meeting stakeholder needs and managing stakeholder relationships, with the ability to successfully work with personnel at all levels internally and externally.
• Strong attention to detail, maintaining high quality standards for all work product, with the ability to proofread.
• Ability to handle multiple projects proactively, simultaneously, and timely, while appropriately managing stakeholder expectations.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (i.e., PowerPoint, Excel and Word).
• Familiarity with basic AI tools.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and drive the preparation of pitches and proposals.
• Implement the development of internal communications items, such as department newsletters and practice group specific updates.
• Manage and execute the planning, coordination and management of practice-specific events including webinars and virtual events, as well as participation in practice-sponsored conferences.
• Coordinate, schedule, and host department, practice group, and team meetings.
• Assist with maintaining the proposal system, experience database and other systems that are warehouses of information required for pitches and proposals.
• Work with the Social Media Manager to promote programs.
• Manage attorney directory submissions for Chambers, Legal 500, and additional legal directories and nominations.
• Write and maintain attorney biographies. This includes collecting and assisting with experience summaries.
• Contribute to the compilation of mailing lists for marketing projects utilizing the firm’s CRM program.
• As needed, partner with attorneys to support individual business development efforts through one‑on‑one strategy meetings and coaching, while managing and advancing thought leadership initiatives and content development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Marketing experience

Communications

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Project management

AI tools familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, English, Communications

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Description

The Business Development Specialist supports the firm’s business development and marketing efforts for designated practice areas within the Litigation Department. The Litigation Department encompasses attorneys who handle commercial disputes, construction and real estate litigation, government investigations, white-collar defense, intellectual property, labor and employment matters, and cybersecurity and privacy issues.

This role partners closely with attorneys and internal teams to help advance client development initiatives and strengthen the department’s overall market presence. This involves initiatives related to cross-selling, prospecting, client engagement, and thought leadership. Responsibilities include coordinating key projects and communications, supporting practice-focused events and programming, and maintaining core business development content, materials, and systems. The role also assists with tracking opportunities, supporting pitch and proposal development, and helping ensure consistent execution of BD priorities across the practice.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, collaborative, and proactive, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while delivering high-quality, client-ready work product. Previous law firm or professional services experience preferred. A hybrid work schedule is available for this position.

A career at Nixon Peabody is the opportunity to do work that matters. It’s the chance to use your knowledge to shape what’s ahead. To share, to innovate, to learn at a firm that taps the power of collective thinking.

We’ve created a dynamic, energizing environment that promotes success for our clients and each other. We offer fast growth, connectedness and training in business as well as law. And our rigorous standards assure you are part of a diverse team of top talent at every turn.

If you’re someone who’s looking toward the future, we’d love to hear from you.

Location

Boston, MA; New York City, NY; Washington, DC;

• Coordinate and drive the preparation of pitches and proposals. This includes meeting with attorneys to review their needs (including assisting in scoping the project and determining appropriate positioning), compiling of research materials gathered by librarians, ushering the project through necessary reviews by the attorneys and Manager, and preparation and distribution of the finished product.
• Implement the development of internal communications items, such as department newsletters and practice group specific updates.
• Manage and execute the planning, coordination and management of practice-specific events including webinars and virtual events, as well as participation in practice-sponsored conferences, including responsibility for various deliverables, and in-person events with responsibilities including managing guest lists and invitations, communication with and management of vendors, and handling swag and collateral.
• Coordinate, schedule, and host department, practice group, and team meetings.
• Assist with maintaining the proposal system, experience database and other systems that are warehouses of information required for pitches and proposals.
• Work with the Social Media Manager to promote programs.
• Manage attorney directory submissions for Chambers, Legal 500, and additional legal directories and nominations.
• Write and maintain attorney biographies. This includes collecting and assisting with experience summaries.
• Contribute to the compilation of mailing lists for marketing projects utilizing the firm’s CRM program. This includes alerts, practice-specific seminars, events, and other promotional mailings.
• As needed, partner with attorneys to support individual business development efforts through one‑on‑one strategy meetings and coaching, while managing and advancing thought leadership initiatives and content development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each essential job responsibility listed above, satisfactorily, with or without reasonable accommodation. Nixon Peabody retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position. The requirements listed below are representative of the skills and abilities required.

• 2-4 years of marketing or communications experience, or strong exposure to legal practice, preferably within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, English, Communications, or a related field required. Work experience in lieu of a degree will be considered.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Exemplary skills at meeting stakeholder needs and managing stakeholder relationships, with the ability to successfully work with personnel at all levels internally and externally.
• Strong attention to detail, maintaining high quality standards for all work product, with the ability to proofread.
• Ability to handle multiple projects proactively, simultaneously, and timely, while appropriately managing stakeholder expectations.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (i.e., PowerPoint, Excel and Word).
• Familiarity with basic AI tools.

Nixon Peabody LLP is an Equal Opportunity /affirmative Action Employer: Disability / Veteran. Nixon Peabody is committed to creating a fair workplace and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected against applicable law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Initiative, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

To comply with Federal law, Nixon Peabody participates in E-Verify. All newly‑hired employees are verified through this electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm their identity and employment eligibility. Please refer to the Notice of E-Verify Participation and the Right to Work posters on the Nixon Peabody Careers page for more information.

In accordance with applicable Federal and State laws, the anticipated annual salary range for this position, depending on location, is as follows:

• New York, NY: $ 85,000 to $126,500
• Boston, MA: $77,500 to $114,950
• Washington, DC: $77,500 to $114,950

In addition to a standard benefits package, this role may be eligible for additional contingent compensation based on an array of factors, including but not limited to: work performance, geographic location, work experience, education, and qualifications. Because such contingent compensation is not yet calculable or may be zero ($0) in some circumstances, the above-listed salary range(s) are Nixon Peabody’s good faith estimate of the annual salary(ies) it reasonably expects to pay for the position at the time of this posting.