Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Business Development Manager - Litigation & Investigations to join our Marketing team, based in A&O Shearman’s London Office.

Marketing team – London

Our Marketing team helps the firm win and grow the right clients and work. We drive client development across the firm - deepening priority relationships, increasing share of wallet and converting strategic opportunities into profitable revenue. We equip partners with effective go-to-market strategies, tactics and processes, differentiated insights and disciplined execution. Alongside this, we strengthen the firm’s market profile and reputation to support client acquisition, retention, and growth. We work as one integrated global team, aligning central support and expertise with local knowledge and execution to maximise impact across offices, practice groups, sectors and client programs.

What you will do

You will support day-to-day business development for the London Litigation & Investigations (L&I) practice by converting strategy into tactical plans and delivering them in an efficient, disciplined and collaborative way. You will provide both reactive and proactive support to lawyers and the business to help pursue growth opportunities, including pitches, events, directories, campaigns and thought leadership, and internal and external profile-raising activities. You will also ensure best practice is followed across systems, technology and processes.

L&I is the largest of A&O Shearman’s five Disputes practice groups and the second largest practice in the firm. It is a diverse practice covering a wide range of specialisms, making it an interesting and varied area to work in. We are better positioned than ever to solve any contentious issue our clients may face. You will play a key role in helping the L&I group achieve its goals and will be a central member of the wider disputes business development team.

Strategic planning and execution

• Contribute to the progression of the L&I strategy and translate its priorities into tactical execution.
• Use your understanding of the L&I practice and how it relates to the wider firm and market to identify and pursue new BD opportunities.
• Monitor market and client news, and feed intelligence into marketing activities.
• Track spend and return on investment against plans and report variances.

Market profile, events and campaigns

• Manage client events from start to finish, including logistics and promotion. Advise partners on how to maximise the impact of events, track engagement metrics and report on ROI.
• Manage thought leadership publications and campaigns, working with partners, knowledge lawyers and the central content team to ensure that our content reaches the right audiences through the most effective channels.
• Manage directories and awards submissions, including interviews and follow-up.
• Analyse the ROI of external profile-raising opportunities, such as conference sponsorships, and make recommendations to partners.
• Actively seek opportunities to raise the profile of the L&I practice within the firm by engaging with firm-wide initiatives and proactively suggesting joint marketing activities with other practice groups.

Pitches and pursuits

• Coordinate proposals, working with the pitch team, pricing team and lawyers to deliver compelling, client-centric pitches.
• Identify opportunities to run pitch debriefs with the client and support the process.
• Develop and enhance standard pitch content for the L&I practice to improve the quality of our pitching collateral. Maintain up-to-date standard text, credentials and CVs, and ensure matter experience is captured regularly and accurately.
• Maintain pipeline hygiene and data completeness.

Client development

• Support partners, associates and BD colleagues in the management of strategic client relationships and coordinate client targeting efforts. Work with the central client relationship management (CRM) team on specific client activities, including secondee debriefs, client presentations, training and hospitality.
• Support client listening exercises, including preparing briefing materials, participating in client interviews where appropriate alongside the Senior BD Manager, capturing feedback accurately and coordinating follow-up actions, while building your skills through training and experience.
• Conduct market and client research to prepare partners for client meetings and support strategic practice objectives.
• Work with PAs and central marketing teams to ensure email distribution and target lists are kept up-to-date.
• Deliver BD training to the L&I associates and work with them on their individual BD plans.

AI and technology

• Continue to develop your applied AI skills, making tangible contributions to personal and team output.
• Use approved marketing function AI tools, including the function’s agents for designated tasks, in line with the firm’s AI usage policy.

Collaboration

• Develop strong relationships with key practice group stakeholders, including London L&I partners and associates, eDiscovery team leads, ADL team leads (based in Belfast), innovation team, knowledge lawyers and PAs.
• Work closely with marketing and BD colleagues across regions, practices, sectors and central teams.
• Promote consistent use of firm systems and templates.
• Actively participate in change initiatives; share ideas and help embed new ways of working. Escalate blockers and propose practical fixes.

What you will have

• Proven experience executing business development activities in professional services. We welcome applications from Managers, or those looking to take a step up.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Clear, persuasive writing with a focus on client needs.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the confidence to work across teams and at all levels of seniority. Ability to persuade and influence senior stakeholders.
• Intellectual curiosity about market trends and client needs, combined with a proactive instinct to shape business development activities in line with these insights.
• Comfortable with data and research; confident using client data management systems (e.g., Dynamics), experience and pipeline systems.
• Highly organised, proactive and resilient; strong attention to detail and follow-through across multiple priorities. Always manages expectations.
• Strong client focus and ability to work well with busy lawyers while balancing deadlines.

What we can offer you

To learn more about the culture and benefits available at A&O Shearman, please visit: Culture and benefits | A&O Shearman careers

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

Our approach to hybrid working seeks to combine and maximise the benefits of effective remote working with the benefits of being in the office. Our current hybrid working arrangements require office based working for a minimum of 60% of your time (i.e. three days per week for a full time role) in accordance with our hybrid working policy.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE - A&O Shearman does not accept unsolicited CVs. For further information, please see our UK Recruitment Agency Policy and our commitment to direct sourcing here.

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A&O Shearman is a global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in nearly 30 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.