Business Development Manager for North American Corporate & Securities Practice Group ::

Business Development Manager for North American Corporate & Securities Practice Group

Chicago, Dallas, New York or Washington, D.C.

Commensurate with experience

The Business Development Manager will work closely with the Chair of the firm’s North American Corporate and Securities Practice Group and the Practice Group Steering Committee on initiatives to raise awareness of and support the group, consistent with the firm’s strategic plan. This person will handle a wide range of activities and be responsible for ensuring follow through on them; will serve as a liaison between the practice group and the firm; and will establish collaborative relationships with other firm business development, marketing and administrative personnel. This is an upgraded position. The Business Development Manager will supervise a Business Development Coordinator.

Baker & McKenzie is like no other firm and few other businesses. With 3,750 locally admitted lawyers and more than 5,800 business service professionals in 68 offices worldwide, they have a passionately collaborative community of 60 nationalities and are committed to world-class career development to everyone in every job at every level. Baker & McKenzie can offer you both the uncompromising commitment to excellence expected of a top firm and a distinctive way of thinking, working and behaving - as a passionately global and genuinely collaborative firm.

Strategic and Client Development Initiatives
• Become familiar with the practice, clientele, sources of business and related resources for the North American Corporate and Securities Group
• Help the Steering Committee research, develop, implement and measure strategic and tactical initiatives, such as key business development initiatives and lateral hiring needs, and prepare internal reports, proposals and papers
• Work with the Chair and the Steering Committee to identify appropriate business development initiatives for the group, such as a key client program for the group as well as high level pitches, proposals, seminars, newsletters, advertising, articles and presentations and other initiatives to raise the profile of the group
• Spearhead the development of the business development and marketing plan for the group, working with the North American regional business development and marketing staff
• Develop and maintain collateral materials for the group, such as deal or case lists, practice descriptions and Web site content (coordinating with the North American regional business development and marketing staff to ensure adherence to the region’s marketing standards and protocols)
• Work with the firm’s PR staff to develop opportunities to promote good results, individual attorneys or other work product for the North American Corporate and Securities Group
• Build relationships with key publications and directories, such as Chambers, Legal 500, Merger Market, and Thompson Financial to improve the group’s profile in conjunction with the global practice group
• Proactively develop new and innovative ways to promote the practice group
• Assist individual attorneys in the group in promoting their areas of expertise
• Implement and track the business development and marketing plans and other projects for the North American Corporate and Securities Group
• Work with other practice groups in industry specialties, e.g., infrastructure and renewable energy
• Coordinating with the North American regional business development and marketing staff and appropriate Office Marketing Coordinator(s), assist lawyers in the North American Corporate and Securities Group with responses to Requests for Proposals and high level pitches for new business
• Working with the North American regional business development and marketing staff, identify and direct research efforts for the North American Corporate and Securities Group, including trends and issues, targeted companies, etc.

Administrative and Intra-firm Activities
• Plan, participate in and follow up group meetings, including the annual meeting, regional meeting and practice group meetings
• Develop and monitor the practice group budget
• Visit certain North American offices annually to meet with North American Corporate and Securities practitioners
• Seek opportunities to leverage group marketing successes to other North American regional practice groups, offices or client accounts, and share “best practices”
• Work with the firm’s Marketing Coordinators in other offices to organize activities for the North American Corporate and Securities Practice Group that take place “on the ground” elsewhere, such as seminars, events, sponsorships, etc., including negotiating contracts for these types of events
• Maintain relevant sites on the firm’s intranet
• Communicate with the North American regional business development and marketing staff about news and opportunities related to the group (e.g., cross-selling opportunities, events, media coverage, etc.)
• Other functions that may be assigned

Responsibility for Results
This position directly impacts the organizational aspect of the business development and marketing departments as well as communication between the firm’s business development and marketing efforts and the office, and the market demands and the office business development strategies.

Problem-solving and Prioritizing
The Business Development Manager has a duty to assist all attorneys with the same responsiveness, which at times is challenging. The Business Development Manager must be able to prioritize his/her tasks, utilize and delegate to other available Firm resources, and communicate proactively to all involved to ensure appropriate tasks are given priority.

Decision Making
The Business Development Manager needs to be proactive in suggesting business development initiatives for the practice group, exercise independent judgment on business development and marketing decisions, be primarily responsible for setting budgets, have input on business development and marketing initiatives, and make daily decisions to prioritize projects. While the environment seeks significant input from many sources, the Business Development Manager will ultimately decide the best course of action and “sell” those recommendations to the partners.

• Five to 10 years of professional experience
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in a related field
• Business development experience in a law firm
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Excellent inter-personal skills; capable of establishing immediate credibility with attorneys and staff
• Strong project management skills
• Experience in applying technology in business development strategies

Schmidt Marketing has been retained to conduct this search. Interested and qualified candidates should e-mail their resume, in strictest confidence, to Donna Erickson.

Schmidt Marketing, Inc.
P.O. Box 24198
Edina, Minnesota 55424