Business Development Associate Director

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we are united in our ambition and drive to move forward. We share core values that help us achieve excellence: collaboration, talent empowerment, service, inclusion, respect and gratitude. Our people are our greatest asset, and we invest in the brightest talent and encourage a diversity of perspectives and strengths to create dynamic teams that operate at the pinnacle of their field. Our talented professionals show up every day knowing they will engage in meaningful work, continuous learning and professional development.
 
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we serve a broad range of clients with market-leading practices in private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions; investment fund formation and management; restructurings; high-stakes litigation and trials; and government, regulatory and internal investigations. We handle the most complicated and sophisticated legal matters because we don’t just meet industry standards, we create them. We bring innovation and entrepreneurialism to every engagement and, as a result, have long-standing client relationships with leading global corporations and financial sponsors. With 6,500 employees (including 3,500+ lawyers) operating from 19 offices across the United States, Europe and Asia, we are one of the largest law firms in the world and a top financial performer.

Essential Job Functions

Kirkland & Ellis is one of the world’s leading law firms recognized as a market leader across M&A, commercial litigation, Intellectual Property and restructuring, with approximately 3,000 lawyers practicing from 18 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. We are seeking an Associate Director of Business Development and Marketing to drive strategy and provide hands on day-to-day support for Kirkland’s San Francisco and Palo Alto offices.

Kirkland & Ellis is looking for a sophisticated business development professional to drive the business development and marketing strategy for Kirkland’s San Francisco and Palo Alto offices. The Business Development Associate Director is a member of Kirkland’s firm-wide business development and marketing department and is responsible for a full range of business development and marketing activities for Kirkland’s San Francisco and Palo Alto offices. 

The Associate Director of Business Development (Bay Area) is part of a growing West Coast Business Development team that includes business development professionals in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City and is part of a larger 140-person international business development team. 

In this position, you will work closely with the Bay Area partners to drive strategic business development and marketing initiatives to strengthen relationships with key firm clients as well as to create targeted initiatives to attract new clients.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, self-motivated innovative leader who is an effective communicator with with strong business acumen and the ability to execute multiple projects and priorities simultaneously. A market leader in M&A handling more transactions than any other law firm since 2017, the successful candidates will have deep corporate M&A and related experience in the legal, financial services (private equity, investment banking, etc.) or professional service industry.

Essential Functions: (This list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented and changed as necessary.)

• Respond to new business pitches and RFPs;
• Create substantive business development-related presentations;
• Identify key industry sponsorships and speaking engagements;
• Conduct research and analysis on new clients/markets/industries;
• Respond to surveys, directories and award submissions;
• Develop and maintain annual Bay Area business development budget and track ROI for all initiatives;
• Develop and/or lead change management efforts across all phases of projects and initiatives to drive the Firm’s culture of continuous improvement;
• Develop and maintain marketing collateral; and
• Track matters including outcomes.

Other Functions: (This list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented and changed as necessary.)

• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education, Work Experience, Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree preferred;
• Strong understanding of the San Francisco Bay Area market and the market dynamics of the Americas
• Comprehensive understanding of corporate practices with an emphasis on the private equity industry is required;
• Understanding of commercial and IP litigation considered a plus;
• Twelve (12) years related experience, five (5) of which must have been in a manager or senior manager role in a law firm environment;
• Experience developing and managing junior business development staff required;
• Ability to analyze data and use multiple sources of information to develop solutions and recommendations;
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment, a very strong attention to detail and a professional demeanor;
• Ability to manage a diverse range of assignments and projects, prioritize multiple tasks and delegate work appropriately;
• Proven change management skills;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as strong presentation skills;
• Excellent client service orientation and comfortable interacting with firm leadership and other senior administrative personnel;
• Willingness to travel to as needed to support the lawyers and manage staff;
• Excellent writing, editing, proofreading and presentation skills required; and
• Track record of creating persuasive content across a variety of mediums.

Technologies/Software:

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite with a particular emphasis on Excel and PowerPoint;
• Experience with CRM platforms, with a preference for InterAction and eMarketing tools;
• Strong knowledge of industry databases including Capital IQ, PitchBook, Preqin, LexMachina and MonitorSuite required.

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP.  To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

For applicants who are based in Bay Area, visit the following link for pay range information: http://staffjobsus.kirkland.com/pages/BAJOBID7256

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Closing Statement

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