Strategic BD Lead for White Collar Litigation

Covington & Burling LLP; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 190,000 - 249,000; Full time

Job summary

Covington & Burling LLP is seeking a strategic, results-oriented Business Development professional to support the firm’s White Collar and Investigations practices in Boston. You will collaborate with leadership and a multidisciplinary team to design and execute targeted BD, marketing, and external communications initiatives across select groups.

You will lead budgeting, strategic planning, and pipeline reporting while coordinating with PR, research, and client teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or a related field.
• Demonstrated track record of success in marketing and business development; law firm experience is strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting white collar and investigations is a significant plus.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated leadership, proactivity, and sound judgment.
• Strong attention to detail and accountability for delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines and competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Consult with practice group leadership to develop business development plans for assigned groups and individuals, including fiscal year plans and strategic initiatives; manage execution, track progress, and report on performance against defined goals and metrics.
• Lead the budget development process for assigned groups and manage approved budgets throughout the year, including forecasting and variance analysis.
• Act as a primary point of contact for practice group leadership and provide strategic business development support and guidance.
• Attend regular practice group meetings with the firm’s Management Committee; coordinate preparation with practice leadership, reporting on business development activities and progress against business plans, including financial performance, pipeline, matter activity, and market trends.
• Direct the end-to-end response process for RFP/pitch opportunities, including the development of customized, client-centric pitch materials; track opportunity pipeline and report on win/loss trends to inform ongoing efforts.
• Contribute to the development of projects and initiatives to drive new business, expand existing client relationships, and identify cross-selling opportunities; provide strategic advice to leadership and partners on execution.
• Provide strategic support for business development events (e.g., seminars, webinars, client programs), ensuring alignment with practice priorities and coordinating follow‑up.
• Plan and support targeted marketing campaigns aligned with specific business development objectives (e.g., market penetration, industry expansion, cross‑selling).
• Support the integration of lateral attorneys within assigned practice groups.
• Counsel lawyers on personal business development goals, including coaching on targeting, messaging, and follow‑through.
• Provide client, industry, and competitive intelligence, in coordination with the Research team, to inform strategy and targeted outreach.
• Serve as BD lead for select key client relationships (e.g., Relationship Manager program), tracking activity and reporting on progress.
• Actively manage and participate in related practice.
• Manage submissions to Chambers and other rankings, surveys, and award nominations, ensuring quality and consistency.
• Work closely with the Public Relations team to identify and leverage media opportunities that align with practice priorities.

Skills

Marketing strategy

Business development

Cross-functional collaboration

CRM experience

Content management

Presentation skills

Project management

Leadership

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or related field

Tools

Salesforce

Foundation

CMS platforms

Job description

Covington & Burling LLP is seeking a strategic, results-oriented Business Development professional to support the firm’s White Collar and Investigations practices in Boston. You will collaborate with leadership and a multidisciplinary team to design and execute targeted BD, marketing, and external communications initiatives across select groups.

You will lead budgeting, strategic planning, and pipeline reporting while coordinating with PR, research, and client teams.