Business Development Specialist - Disputes

Job description

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with 48 offices in 28 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.

Department Purpose and Structure

The U.S. Marketing & Business Development team (U.S. MKT Team) is a sophisticated group of experienced professionals charged with guiding the Firm's fee earners to grow U.S. and global revenues, expand existing client relationships and strategically tackle new client pursuits.

This is a team that is all-in. As business professionals at one of the largest law firms in the world, the U.S. MKT Team thrives on market challenges and outside-the-box thinking. It is a team where fresh ideas are not only entertained, they are encouraged.

Role Purpose

This Business Development Specialist-Disputes role is a fantastic opportunity to gain global experience working for one of the largest law firms in the world and to learn the unique approach that a truly global firm utilizes towards business development and marketing.

The Business Development Specialist will provide day-to-day business development support across the Disputes department in a collaborative role with business development teams across the firm. This includes, but is not limited to, client targeting efforts, bespoke proposal writing and management, product and thought leadership creation and management, market research and analysis, identifying cross-practice and cross-jurisdictional opportunities, and legal directory submissions.

Key Relationships

• Senior Business Development Manager - IP Litigation & Disputes (based in Dallas)
• Senior Business Development Manager - White Collar & Investigations (based in Boston)
• Partners and fee earners in the Disputes and IP functions
• U.S. business development team
• Peers across the wider and global business development, marketing and communications teams

Context

The Business Development Specialist is a multi-faceted role and involves supporting key initiatives, including practice strategy, pitches and RFPs, market research and analysis, and directories, rankings and submissions execution.

Role and Responsibilities

• Pitches, Proposals and Credentials:
  Working directly with Sr. BD Manager and partners to create and manage competitive proposals, credentials, pitches and presentations, including applying best practices, developing messaging, and managing the collection and dissemination of data on our proposals to help identify the reasons for wins and losses, including pitch debriefs.
• Marketing Systems:
  Maintaining practice and attorney specific information in our marketing systems (lawyer CVs, experience, deal capture, and client contact database) to ensure that accurate, tailored documents can be prepared in a timely and efficient manner.
• Market Research:
  Developing practice and sector-specific knowledge to identify potential business opportunities and expand existing business.
• Internal Communications:
  Building and maintaining a flow of market intelligence (e.g. pipeline deals, major players, market shares, key clients and industry developments) to partners and associates, providing regular communication within the group regarding planned marketing activity, and working…