Senior Business Development Manager - Litigation

Dinsmore; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 162,000 - 198,000; Full time

Job summary

Dinsmore is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager – Litigation to help attorneys and practice teams turn priorities into coordinated client-development activity. Working closely with firm leadership, attorneys, and colleagues across Marketing and Business Development, this manager will bring structure, insight and momentum to growth initiatives.

The successful candidate will be a trusted adviser and hands-on project leader who is curious, asks practical questions, connects people and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, communications or related field; JD or MBA a plus.
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible business development or marketing experience.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with attorneys and leaders across offices.
• Working knowledge of BD planning, pitches/proposals, client/market research, and relationship management.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills; ability to translate complex information into practical recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Partner with practice leaders to develop practical BD strategy aligned with firm priorities.
• Identify opportunities within client relationships, prospects, and referral networks.
• Convert ideas into clear next steps with owners, timelines, and measurable objectives.
• Coordinate pitches, proposals, RFPs, and presentations with relevant contributors.
• Prepare market and client research to inform planning and opportunity assessment.
• Coach attorneys for client conversations, meetings, and relationship-building activities.
• Collaborate with marketing, events, and other departments to align thought leadership with business goals.
• Maintain accurate opportunity/relationship data in the CRM and promote best practices.
• Develop pipeline monitoring, reports, and insights for leadership decisions.
• Foster cross-office relationships and identify cross-selling opportunities.

Skills

Relationship management

Strategic planning

Pitches & proposals

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, communications

JD or MBA preferred

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Dinsmore is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager – Litigation to help attorneys and practice teams turn priorities into thoughtful, coordinated client-development activity. Working closely with firm leadership, attorneys, and colleagues across Marketing and Business Development, this manager will bring structure, insight and momentum to growth initiatives. The successful candidate will be a trusted adviser and hands-on project leader who is curious, asks practical questions, connects people and resources, and helps teams follow through on opportunities. Preferred locations for this position are commutable to our Chicago, Cincinnati, or Lexington offices, but other office locations will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Partner with practice group and department leaders to develop practical business development strategy with firm priorities and client needs
• Help attorneys identify and prioritize opportunities within existing client relationships, prospective clients, referral networks, and target markets
• Facilitate planning discussions and convert ideas into clear next steps, owners, timelines, and measurable objectives
• Coordinate strategic pitches, proposals, RFP responses and presentations, bringing together relevant experience, differentiators, and persuasive messaging
• Prepare market, industry, client and competitive research to inform client planning, opportunity assessment, and positioning
• Provide one-on-one and small-group coaching to help attorneys prepare for client conversations, meetings, presentations, and relationship-building activities
• Collaborate with communications, events, digital, creative, and other internal departments to align thought leadership, sponsorships, and programs with defined business objectives
• Maintain accurate opportunity and relationship information in the firm’s CRM and related systems and encourage practical adoption of shared processes
• Collaborate to develop pipeline monitoring, progress and outcomes; develop concise reports and insights that help leaders make informed decisions and refine priorities
• Build strong relationships across offices and practices, identify opportunities for cross-selling, and connect attorneys whose capabilities can address broader client needs
• Manage multiple projects and stakeholders with sound judgment, responsiveness, attention to detail, and a commitment to excellent internal client service
• Contribute to the continued improvement of business development tools, templates, processes, and team best practices
• Perform other duties and support firmwide initiatives as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent relevant experience required; JD or MBA a plus
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible business development or marketing experience; experience in a law firm or other professional-services environment is strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and collaborate effectively with attorneys, firm leaders, and business professionals across offices and functions
• Working knowledge of business development planning, pitches and proposals, client and market research, and relationship-management practices
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, persuasive, and practical recommendations
• Sound judgment, discretion, initiative, and a client-service mindset, with the confidence to ask thoughtful questions and guide projects toward completion
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with CRM, proposal-management, research, or related business development systems
• Ability to work independently while contributing positively to a collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Flexibility to occasionally work outside regular business hours and travel as business needs require

Salary Up to 180k