Business Development Specialist - Strategic Transactions - Ropes & Gray LLP

About Ropes & Gray:

Ropes & Gray is a preeminent, global law firm. The firm has been ranked in the top-three on The American Lawyer's prestigious "A-List" for seven years and is ranked #1 on Law.com International's "A-List" in the U.K.—rankings that honor the "Best of the Best" firms.

 

The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.

 

The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.

 

Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.

Overview:

The Business Development Department’s objective is to grow firm revenue and take market share. We collaborate with partners, other attorneys and business colleagues, to:

 

a) grow existing client relationships via industry, practice and client team efforts

 

b) identify and develop new client pursuits and business initiatives

 

The BD group is a specialist function providing support focused on new business pursuit; key account management; BD skills & coaching; pitch & proposals (including RFPs); and client feedback. We supposed the firm at the practice, industry and individual client level.

 

Overview of Business Development Specialist role:

 

The Business Development Specialist (BDS) will be an integral member of the Business Development Team.  Working closely with the Director of Business Development (DBD) and Business Development Manager (BDM), the BDS will provide business development and client development support in the context of the practice groups’ strategic and commercial priorities.

 

In particular, the BDS will work closely with the BDM, lawyers and business support colleagues to:

 

• Execute business development and marketing efforts for the Strategic Transactions Practice Group, including Capital Markets, Intellectual Property Transactions, Mergers & Acquisitions and Emerging Companies and Venture Capital
• Identify and target new clients
• Support lawyers in developing relationships with clients and to deliver practice group products and knowledge marketing

 

Responsibilities:

• Assist in development and executive of client development for the group
• Develop a strong knowledge of the Strategic Transactions practice including an understanding of the practice group’s offering, helping to identify, assess, and pursue new clients
• Help support existing client relationships by:
  • Helping to organize business development meetings
  • Ownership of certain aspects of client and target development efforts
• Supporting pitching and new business generation by:
  • Executing pitches, proposals and responses to RFPs
  • Maintaining up-to-date pitch content, materials and client information
  • Participating in preparation for meetings and pitches
• Working with the BDM and other business support colleagues to:
  • Identify opportunities to create and implement integrated branding and profile-raising campaigns
  • Assess conference opportunities and advise the lawyers on selection, participation and execution
  • Identify client and market targets for the delivery of knowledge marketing
• Building a good working knowledge of adjacent practice and industry group services and a clear understanding of their strategy, priorities and clients
• Communicating best practices, business development activities, and successes across the group

 

Essential Capabilities:

 

This position requires a professional, highly motivated individual capable of functioning in a fast-paced, international legal environment:

 

• Superior client service mindset

 

• Quickly able to establish credibility with BDM and key stakeholders with a knowledgeable approach
• Work effectively as a team player with an enthusiasm for developing relationships
• A self-starter, who is solutions orientated and is able to work-independently with a macro-understanding of the legal business
• Excellent organizational, communication and project management skills
• Attention to detail
• Effective oral and written communication skills in a professional services environment
• Creativity and flexibility when managing individual workload and priorities, taking colleagues’ time into account
• Ability to react to short term needs while balancing long term projects
• Demonstrate creativity and initiative in continuously looking to improve upon roles and responsibilities
• Work effectively in a culturally and educationally diverse multi-office environment

Qualifications:

• An undergraduate degree is required
• Three to five years’ experience in business development within a professional services firm

Comprehensive and Total Rewards Package:

Ropes & Gray is proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our business support team members. The firm also offers comprehensive health and well-being benefits, personal and professional development, career growth opportunities and a collegial and supportive culture. The anticipated pay range for this role is Boston: $69,000 - $103,000 NY: $72,500 - $108,000 which represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the starting salary range at the time of posting. In addition, this role is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance. The actual offered rate for this position will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors, including qualifications and experience, geographic location, education, external market data and consideration of internal equity.  

Working Conditions:

This position requires hybrid on-site presence as an essential function of the role. Consistent and predictable on-site presence is required for ongoing business continuity, professional development and effective collaboration with colleagues and management.