Associate Director of Business Development

Cooley LLP•Chicago, IL

21h•$260,000 - $320,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Cooley is seeking an Associate Director of Business Development to join the Marketing and Client Development team. Cooley is a global law firm with an expansive practice and more than 3,000 employees and partners worldwide. We value and celebrate diverse perspectives and strive to create a workplace where every individual can thrive. At the core of Cooley’s success is the exceptional talent and unwavering spirit of our people. We embrace individuality while fostering a ‘one-firm’ culture where collaboration and creativity thrive. Our people are the foundation of our success and the driving force behind everything we do. Hybrid Schedule Philosophy: As part of the Cooley culture, we recognize and appreciate the value of being together, in person, to build comradery with others in the office and to be a contributing member of the Cooley office. However, we also appreciate the benefits and flexibility that come from remote working. As such, the default assumption for employees and partners is a hybrid schedule: some in-office presence and some work from home days absent certain essential in-office roles that require five (5) days/week in-office. Position summary: This role is part of the Business Development Team, which leads the firm’s business development efforts in the market, in close partnership with Marketing, to build relationships, generate opportunities, and support growth across priority clients, prospects, and sectors. Responsible for partnering with Marketing and firm leaders to execute outreach strategies, create high-value connections, and convert engagement into a healthy and sustainable pipeline. Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Requirements

After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage and other firm applications
Ability to work extended and/or weekend hours, as required
Ability to travel, as required
8+ years of applicable experience in the field (e.g., marketing or business development)
Market-facing presence including a leverageable network
Commercial instinct and proven relationship building skills, including strong working knowledge of enterprise CRM ecosystems (e.g., Salesforce)
Bachelor’s Degree

Nice To Haves

Prior legal industry or professional services experience
Entrepreneurial by nature
Excellent attention to detail
Approaches tasks through a lens of quality and consistency
Approaches tasks through a digital first lens
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with ability to facilitate and solve problems
Ability to organize, prioritize and coordinate multiple activities often under tight timelines
Takes a consultative approach to set goals, drive projects, and achieve outcomes
Strong judgment
Team-player with collaborative spirit
Unwavering ability to handle and maintain confidentiality regarding firm information, projects, client data
High level of professionalism at all times
Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and develop talent
Proactive, analytical mindset
Effective presentation skills

Responsibilities

Build and maintain a robust network of clients, prospects, referral sources, and key external influencers, proactively working within relevant market ecosystems to increase firm visibility.
Coordinate closely with the Marketing team to execute outreach, manage events, and drive disciplined follow-up on campaigns to convert engagement into tangible business leads.
Act as a strategic bridge for firm partners by generating introductions, opening doors to key decision-makers, and creating access to high-value opportunities.
Ensure seamless relationship continuity through structured follow-up, managing handoffs between internal teams and maintaining ongoing contact with key stakeholders.
Proactively identify growth opportunities across existing and prospective clients, focusing on moving early-stage conversations into a qualified, high-probability pipeline.
Surface untapped "whitespace" and cross-selling opportunities within existing client relationships, connecting specific client needs to the firm’s broader people and capabilities.
Ensure all identified opportunities are supported with the necessary internal coordination and tactical follow-up to move them through the business development lifecycle.
Maintain rigorous visibility into relationship activity by tracking all outreach, introductions, and meetings, ensuring clear documentation of next steps and pipeline movement.
Contribute to a consistent and proactive business development rhythm in the market, shifting the team from a reactive posture to a disciplined, lead-generation engine.
All other duties as assigned or required