Now Hiring - Kirkland & Ellis - Business Development Specialist in Salt Lake City, UT

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 seeking a dynamic, energetic and accomplished Business Development Specialist to support its new Salt Lake City office and to be a key driver of its growth and success.
Reporting to West Coast Director of Business Development and working collaboratively with other regional and Firmwide business development professionals, the Business Development Specialist will provide comprehensive support across the entirety of the business development and marketing lifecycle, playing a key role in the execution of development strategies for all cross-practice areas with a particular focus on corporate, specifically private equity and M&A and commercial litigation.
This is a highly visible attorney and occasional client-facing role, requires an experienced legal business development professional with corporate and litigation business development experience with an adaptable, entrepreneurial style and a proven business acumen.

Essential Functions:

• Through the development of a keen understanding of the Firm's unique business model, capabilities and client relationships, the Business Development Specialist will manage the execution of business development strategies and specific objectives for the Salt Lake City office, as well as the individual business development initiatives of attorneys.
• Pursue and facilitate opportunities to expand market share with existing and new clients, including identifying prospects for cross-selling and supporting account-specific development tactics in conjunction with relationship partners to promote and expand Kirkland's private equity and litigation practices.
• Collaborate with Business Intelligence to identify and evaluate potential clients, and coordinate efforts to proactively engage targets, while tracking ongoing outreach.
• Prepare thoughtful, substantive pitches and proposals tailored to specific matters and practice areas. Conduct original research and produce corresponding narratives-including factual findings, statistics, etc., in support of specific pitch opportunities. Track all pitches to evaluate pipeline, wins/losses and trends by client type, practice, industry, etc.
• Partner with attorneys and business development colleagues to produce timely, targeted thought leadership and client training materials aligned with anticipated client needs, lead generation and client relationship development or in response to specific requests.
• Coordinate high-quality in-person and virtual events and speaking engagements for groups of various sizes, including providing on-the-ground support, leading speaker and attendee preparation and supporting follow-up with generated leads, as well as tracking ROI.
• Create and office-specific collateral materials to showcase Kirkland's offerings including practice descriptions, attorney biographies, website content, brochures and other marketing collateral. Assist with the maintenance of experience databases, as well as practice and industry-specific deal and case lists.
• Draft and manage submissions, rankings, surveys, directories and other recognitions for disputes and transactional practices. Additionally, in collaboration with partners, submit clients for awards and recognitions.
• Track relationships and connect-the-dots in support of business development opportunities. Also, maintain marketing lists for specific events and other interactions using the firmwide CRM database (InterAction).
• Develop and maintain a deep understanding of the Salt Lake City and Utah legal market, and key client industries. Continually monitor market trends, clients, and competitors.
• Manage other business development and marketing projects as necessary.

Qualifications & Requirements

• 5+ years business development and marketing experience gained within the legal profession with an AmLaw 100 law firm.
• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Deep understanding of the Salt Lake City legal market and key industry sectors.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams and overseeing junior team members.
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office software, with expertise in PowerPoint, Excel and SharePoint preferred.
• Experience with planning and preparing pitches, substantive presentations and other marketing materials required.
• Advanced research skills across legal and business resources and topics. Familiarity with electronic resources, including Westlaw, Pitchbook, Preqin, Capital IQ, Docket Navigator, Lex Machina, Monitor Suite, and others is preferred.
• Subject matter knowledge of private equity transactional practice areas-e.g., investment funds, M&A, debt finance, tech & IP transactions, tax, executive compensation, environmental transactions, commercial litigation is highly preferred. Versatility and the capacity to quickly transition from the support of one practice area to another are paramount.
• Marketing document creation experience, with a good eye for graphic design and sharp attention to detail is preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and excellent communication skills necessary to maintain effective relationships with internal and external partners.
• Excellent client service orientation and listening skills; comfortable interacting with Firm leadership and key department personnel; possess diplomacy, enthusiasm and a strong work ethic required.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment, with strong skills in written/verbal communication, organizational ability, project management and prioritization.
• Ability to thrive in an electronic environment and utilize technology to deliver information.
• Prior InterAction or other CRM knowledge highly preferable.
• Polished professionalism in appearance and communication skills.
• Very strong attention to detail and a professional demeanor.
• Ability to perform overtime as necessary.
• Some travel may be required from time to time.

How to Apply

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

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

The [please apply online] job postings and recruiting mailbox are for candidates only. If you are a recruiter, search firm or employment agency, and do not have a signed contract with Kirkland & Ellis LLP ("K&E") and have not been asked specifically to submit candidates, you will not be compensated in any way for your referral of a candidate even if K&E hires the candidate. Direct contact with K&E employees in an attempt to present candidates is inappropriate and will be a factor in determining any future professional relationship with the Firm. #LI-Hybrid #LI-NK1