Senior Business Development Specialist, Bankruptcy

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP; New York (NY); On-site; USD 115,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP in New York seeks a Senior Business Development Specialist to support the strategic growth of its Bankruptcy practice. You will work closely with firm leaders to advance a broad range of client opportunities, pitches, and business development initiatives, developing processes and materials to strengthen pipelines across matters.

The role requires a proactive, organized professional with strong judgment and the ability to collaborate with partners and staff to drive

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of business development, marketing, or related experience in a law firm or professional services environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong interpersonal abilities and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with CRM, reporting, research, and technology tools, including AI platforms.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and workstreams in a fast-paced setting.
• Team-oriented, proactive, and able to work independently with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Partner with practice group leadership to execute initiatives that strengthen client relationships and pursue new business opportunities.
• Develop and maintain processes to track, evaluate, prioritize, and advance potential opportunities with clear follow-up and visibility.
• Lead the creation of tailored pitches, presentations, and BD materials; maintain a content repository and leverage AI tools for efficiency and quality.
• Develop and monitor BD plans and budgets for the bankruptcy practice group and individual attorneys.
• Coordinate events, thought leadership, directories, and awards submissions to raise the practice's profile.

Skills

Project management

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Collaboration

Client service orientation

Tools

CRM systems

AI platforms

Job description

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, a powerhouse firm with the heart of a boutique, is seeking a Senior Business Development Specialist to support the strategic growth of the firm’s Bankruptcy practice group in its New York office. The Bankruptcy group is a creditors rights practice of more than 20 lawyers specializing in the representation of creditors’ committees, landlords, indenture trustees and other individual creditors in complex chapter 11 bankruptcies and post-confirmation administration.

Working closely with the Director of Business Development, the practice group chair, the Practice Group Manager, and the partners of the group, and Business Development colleagues, the Senior Specialist will manage and advance a broad range of business development initiatives, client opportunities, new business pursuits, pitches, referrals, and other practice priorities.

The partners of the Bankruptcy group are a cohesive unit that approach business development collectively as a department. With all-partner meetings and subgroup meetings every two weeks, the group is focused on the continued growth of its business and the long-term success of the practice.

The position will be responsible for working with the partners to implement existing initiatives and develop new strategies and technology to main existing relationships and develop new opportunities. The Senior Specialist will be responsible for tracking, attorney follow-up, next steps, and outcomes; maintaining visibility across multiple workstreams; and helping ensure business development opportunities and priorities are advanced through completion. The Senior Specialist will also work with associates and special counsel on business development practices to help groom the next generation of department leadership. This role requires a proactive, highly organized professional with strong business judgment, a high level of ownership, and the ability to work both independently on individual projects but also collaboratively with the group’s partners, other attorneys and support staff.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Business and Client Development

Partner with practice group leadership and the Business Development team to execute initiatives that strengthen client relationships and advance new business opportunities. Develop and maintain processes to track, evaluate, prioritize, and advance potential business opportunities, ensuring appropriate follow-up and visibility into next steps and outcomes. Lead the development of tailored, client-focused pitches, presentations, and other business development materials. Maintain and curate a centralized repository of pitch and proposal content and leverage AI and other technology tools to improve efficiency, consistency, and quality in the development of business development materials.

Strategic Planning

Work with the practice group chair and the Practice Group Manager to develop, execute, track, and refine business development plans and budgets for the practice group and individual attorneys.

Research and Knowledge Management

Leverage bankruptcy-focused research, analytics, and financial intelligence platforms to monitor, track, and assess potential business development opportunities, industry and market developments, and competitor activity. Maintain and manage trackers across relevant platforms and generate reports related to potential bankruptcy filings, C-suite changes, credit rating declines, and other developments that may signal business opportunities. Develop strong proficiency in the firm’s CRM platform to manage and track client, prospect, and referral relationships; maintain accurate and current matter experience; and support business development reporting, pipeline tracking, and intelligence efforts.

Project and Performance Management

Take ownership of the coordination and ongoing tracking of the practice group’s business development pursuits and marketing initiatives, managing deadlines, deliverables, priorities, and follow-up in alignment with the group’s strategic plan. Maintain a comprehensive pipeline of opportunities, monitoring progress, identifying outstanding actions, tracking results, and providing visibility into the status of key pursuits. Actively participate in business development meetings by documenting decisions and action items, driving follow-up, and anticipating next steps needed to maintain momentum. Work collaboratively with attorneys, Business Development and Marketing colleagues, and other business professionals to resolve issues, coordinate resources, and move initiatives through completion.

Marketing Communications and Events

Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team to plan and execute practice group events, sponsorships, conferences, and content marketing initiatives, ensuring activities align with broader business development objectives. Manage coordination and key deliverables for the annual Bankruptcy Thought Leadership Summit and the practice group’s participation in conferences and programs with key industry associations.

Directory and Award Submissions

Manage and coordinate submissions for key legal directories, industry awards, and rankings. Work closely with attorneys and Business Development colleagues to track submission deadlines, identify relevant opportunities, gather and organize supporting information, and develop compelling nomination materials. Maintain accurate and current awards and recognition records, monitor submission status and results, and ensure appropriate follow-up.

Key Skills and Experience Required

• Minimum of five (5) years of business development, marketing, or related experience in a law firm or other professional services environment.
• Strong project management, organizational, research, and analytical skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and workstreams simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong interpersonal abilities, and exceptional attention to detail.
• Proficiency with CRM, reporting, research, and technology tools, including AI platforms.
• Strong collaborator with the ability to build effective working relationships and partner closely with attorneys, practice group leadership, Business Development colleagues, and other professionals across the firm.
• Team-oriented and willing to contribute wherever needed to advance shared priorities and accomplish business development objectives.
• Proactive, responsive, and client-service oriented, with strong judgment, initiative, and follow-through.
• Ability to take ownership of assigned projects and work independently while maintaining close communication and collaboration with the broader team.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, adapt to changing priorities, and consistently deliver high-quality work.

The salary range displayed is specifically for those potential hires who will work or reside in New York City if selected for the role. Any offered salary is determined based on internal equity, internal salary ranges, market data/ranges, applicant’s skills and prior relevant experience, certain degrees, and certifications (e.g., JD/technology) for example. New York City Salary Range: Low: $115,000 High: $135,000.

Please be advised that all communications regarding open positions at our firm will exclusively originate from email addresses ending in @kelleydrye.com. We encourage you to exercise caution and verify the source of any communication claiming to represent our firm.

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).