Senior Client Growth Manager

Summary

At Barnes & Thornburg, change is relentless and so are we. In an evolving business landscape, we stand ready at a moment’s notice, adapting with agility and precision to achieve the highest goals for our clients. Similarly, our Client Growth and Marketing team serves its clients — 850+ legal professionals across 50 practices in 26 markets — with the same energy and commitment.

About the role

The Client Growth team focuses on establishing, enhancing and enabling meaningful client relationships, significant sector visibility, and optimal market share for the firm and its attorneys. The role will be responsible for identifying key practice priorities, crafting and aligning client development strategies, and executing those plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise a high-performing client growth team, fostering collaboration across assigned practice areas and with other Senior Client Growth Managers to develop, implement, and share business development and marketing best practices.
• Serve as the primary business development and client growth resource for the Litigation Department Chair, practice group leaders, and other department leadership. Partner closely with the Department Operating Officer and other firm stakeholders to identify, prioritize, and execute strategic initiatives requiring department and firmwide support.
• Develop and execute business development strategies that strengthen existing client relationships, generate new business opportunities, expand client engagements, and drive cross-selling initiatives across assigned practices and industry sectors.
• Participate in the development of department and practice-specific business development plans and lead the execution of identified goals, objectives, and key results.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the firm's practices, services, industries, geographic markets, and business operations to effectively position the firm's capabilities, identify growth opportunities, facilitate cross-practice collaboration, and connect clients and prospects with the appropriate legal resources.
• Provide strategic business development counsel, coaching, and guidance to attorneys and practice leaders, including support for individual opportunities, client relationship expansion, and broader market positioning efforts.
• Guide attorneys in developing and executing visibility strategies that enhance market presence and support business development objectives, including conference participation, speaking engagements, thought leadership programs, client events, and other profile-raising opportunities.
• Support lateral integration and growth initiatives by assisting with the recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and business development planning of lateral attorneys to accelerate successful integration and revenue generation.
• Lead the collection, maintenance, organization, and dissemination of practice experience and credential information, ensuring data is current, accessible, and effectively leveraged in business development, marketing, and proposal efforts.
• Oversee the development of pitches, proposals, RFP responses, presentations, and related business development materials in collaboration with Proposal, Legal Operations, Communications, and Client Growth colleagues, ensuring deliverables effectively communicate the firm's experience, differentiators, pricing strategies, and value proposition.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including communications, media relations, events, business intelligence, proposals, and creative services, to develop compelling market-facing content and campaigns that elevate practice visibility and support client growth objectives.
• Coordinate industry, professional, and strategic relationship-building initiatives, including thought leadership programs, sponsorships, conferences, client events, CLEs, webinars, networking opportunities, and other business development activities.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of lawyer rankings, awards, and related recognition opportunities that support the strategic positioning of the department and its attorneys.
• Utilize business intelligence, market research, and business development technologies to identify opportunities, analyze trends, evaluate prospects, and provide actionable insights to attorneys and practice leaders.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities Required

• At least eight years of increasingly responsible, directly related experience during which the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities were attained.
• A bachelor's degree, preferably in a writing-intensive or research-heavy discipline.
• Strong oral and written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills to interact successfully with a broad range of individuals at all levels of the organization, effectively liaise with clients and prospects, and develop strong relationships with attorneys, colleagues, and professionals at key outside organizations.
• A high-level service orientation, consistent resourcefulness, an ownership mentality, and agility in managing shifting and multiple and sometimes shifting priorities in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment.
• A robust work ethic, commitment to accountability, and ability to produce quality work product and “think beyond the ask.”
• An ability to leverage research and competitive intelligence to identify business opportunities and support go-to-market strategies.
• A strong knowledge of, and familiarity with, legal and business environments.