Business Development Specialist

Main information

• Term type:

  Permanent

• Department:

  Private Equity Transactions

• Location:

  London

The firm

Ropes & Gray is a global law firm that operates across 17 time zones and has more than 1,400 lawyers based in the United States, Europe and Asia who collaborate seamlessly to provide clients with high-quality representation in innovative industries that shape the global economy. Our clients include private equity firms, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, financial institutions, mutual funds, hospital systems, and more. Client by client, we’ve built a reputation for first-class work, a pragmatic approach, and impeccable standards of service and ethics. We count many of the world’s most respected companies and institutions as longtime clients, and serve organizations at all stages of development. Clients trust us with their most important matters because they know we understand their businesses and deliver the results they need.

Our deeply rooted culture of teamwork means that our lawyers work closely with colleagues around the world to provide support to clients. This collaborative approach encourages our lawyers to work alongside partners and clients on sophisticated matters. We work as a team to support a range of leading legal practices, including private equity, M&A, capital markets, finance, asset management, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, data, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.

Ropes & Gray London is one of the largest offices in the Ropes & Gray network, and the hub of the firm’s EMEA network and set up in London in 2010. While we are now an established presence in the UK, we’ve retained all the buzz of our start-up years. It makes us a little bit different: it means we have the stature and resources of a major international law firm combined with the pace, inclusivity and career progression of a specialist firm. Our clients like to work with us. We are, of course, always professional, but we are personal, and personable with it. As a group, we’re international, diverse and our team is always professional, but uniquely personable. With around 26 partners, 110+ Lawyers and a trainee intake of 15, everybody in the office knows everyone else. That means that every hire we make is an important investment for the firm, because each team member has a distinct role to play in delivering excellent service to our clients.

The role

Practice group business planning and budgets

• Support the development, coordination (with London BD team and US BD/Practice Development (PRAD) teams), and implementation of business and client development plans for the Private Equity practice.
• Assist with budget planning and monitoring, including tracking expenses and supporting the identification of joint initiatives.
• Maintain frameworks for internal reporting and communication of business and client development activities.

Pitches and other client-facing documents

• Support the preparation of pitches, proposals, and capability statements by ensuring their accuracy and relevance, and collaborate effectively with the London BD team as well as the US BD/PRAD teams.
• Conduct research on clients and stakeholders, provide first-draft-tailored client-specific content, and ensure consistency in all materials.

Business development pursuits

• Support internal BD meetings, including agenda creation, note-taking, and follow-up on action items.
• Support the planning and execution of client meetings (e.g., presentations, workshops, round tables), and follow up to capture actions and ROI.
• Monitor market and practice-driven trends and themes to enhance client engagement, and share relevant insights to support collaborative initiatives with the London BD team and the US BD/PRAD teams.

Key client relationship management

• Support client initiatives for the Private Equity industry targets including identifying collaborative opportunities with the London Business Development (BD) team and the US BD/PRAD teams.
• Assist in creating and implementing BD/client relationship action plans.
• Track and manage relevant client and business development activity for reporting and pitching purposes.

Market research

• Support the delivery of client, market, and competitor research, tailoring data for partner or client consumption in collaboration with the Library research team.

Go-to-market materials and process

• Maintain and update master slide decks, lawyer bios, presentations, brochures, capability statements, and intranet pages for relevant practices and industry content.
• Work with lawyers and local and global Marcomms team to capture deal information and maintain up-to-date matter records.

Profile raising

• Contribute to the production of thought leadership reports/articles, service capability materials, and industry updates.
• Coordinate and support submissions to directories, league tables, and awards panels.

Events and conferences

• Assist in strategic reviews and recommendations for industry conferences, partner speaking engagements, sponsorships, and related activities.
• Support the planning and implementation of targeted client and industry events, sponsorships, and training programs.
• Support on the project management of event logistics in collaboration with the Events team and secretaries.

Other business/client development projects

Contribute to relevant global/EU/London business development projects as required.

Qualifications and Skills

• University graduate with a strong academic record.
• Minimum three years’ experience in business development or client development within a professional services environment; law firm experience is advantageous but not essential.
• Relevant marketing or business development qualification (e.g., CIM or equivalent) is desirable.
• Knowledge of Finance, Business Restructuring, and Real Estate practices, and an understanding of banks, financial institutions, investment funds, and the infrastructure sector in the UK and EU markets is desirable.
• Collaborative team player with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset and commitment to client service.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with proven ability to draft accurate, tailored client-facing materials.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to adapt communication for varied stakeholders.
• Demonstrate critical thinking, curiosity, and the ability to support strategic objectives.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with experience managing multiple priorities and meeting tight deadlines.
• Skilled in using relevant technology and software (e.g., PowerPoint, Word, Excel, InterAction).