Marketing & Business Development Manager - California

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP•Los Angeles, CA

11d•$150,000 - $160,000

About The Position

The growing California offices (Los Angeles, Palo Alto, and San Francisco) of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is looking for an experienced Marketing & Business Development Manager to support the Client Development & Marketing Department. Willkie is an elite international law firm of approximately 1,300 lawyers located in 16 offices in six countries. The Marketing & Business Development Manager will be responsible for managing and working alongside the California Coordinator role, playing a key part in both day-to-day execution and regional oversight. The successful candidate will have strong leadership skills, excellent judgment, and the ability to support both litigation and transactional practices with tailored, proactive, and high-quality work At Willkie, we believe great people are the key to our success. As such, we are offering a highly competitive compensation package with exceptional benefits. If you are looking to work in a friendly, collaborative environment that affords unique opportunities to expand your professional development, this role is for you.

Requirements

6+ years of business development or marketing experience for a law firm
Demonstrated experience supporting both litigation and transactional practices
Familiarity with court systems, regulators, and litigation-specific resources (e.g., Lex Machina, Bloomberg Law, CapitalIQ)
Prior experience directly managing staff and overseeing team operations
Strong writing, communication, and interpersonal skills
Experience with digital marketing, social media, and website content management
Experience managing RFPs and client pitch processes
Experience with analytics and reporting on marketing/BD activities
Ability to manage competing priorities and adapt in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
Proven ability to collaborate with lawyers and internal stakeholders across all levels
Must demonstrate reliability and build trust through consistent performance and responsiveness with attorneys, fellow Client Development & Marketing team members and other firm departments
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, email marketing, and other relevant CRM and marketing systems
Bachelor’s degree required
Willingness to travel between California offices and work extended hours when needed
Must demonstrate critical thinking skills by connecting information across various platforms with comprehension and providing value-added input

Responsibilities

Serve as day-to-day lead for California marketing and business development activity
Manage and mentor the California Marketing Coordinator, ensuring effective project delegation and quality control
Collaborate with attorneys and teammates to produce compelling pitches, proposals, awards, and marketing collateral
Take ownership of select high-priority marketing and BD projects to ensure timely and successful execution
Provide support across both litigation and transactional practices, including identifying cross-practice opportunities
Maintain BD prospects lists, and track BD efforts, opportunities and outcomes
Oversee content development for pitches, practice descriptions, submissions, and client-facing materials
Oversee and support the directories process, including producing draft submissions and reference lists for manager review; tracking timelines, deadlines and researcher assignments; coordinating communications and interviews; and related efforts
Help plan and execute firm-hosted and third-party events in collaboration with team members and external vendors
Maintain and improve workflow systems for marketing requests, tracking, and internal communication
Ensure California marketing efforts align with firm standards and firmwide strategy
Support additional profile-raising activities from time to time as determined by the needs of the firm
Develop and monitor marketing & BD budgets for California offices.
Analyze market trends, client feedback, and business opportunities to inform strategy.
Lead or contribute to the preparation and implementation of business plans for practice groups and offices.
Coordinate with firmwide marketing teams to ensure consistency in branding and messaging.
Evaluate ROI for events and sponsorships