Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications, or related field; JD or MBA preferred
7+ years of business development or marketing experience, specifically in law firms
Experience in labor & employment business development is essential
Proven ability to build relationships and collaborate with attorneys and firm leaders
Strong skills in business development planning, pitches, proposals, and market research
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills for clear communication
Proficient in Microsoft Office and familiar with CRM and business development systems
Responsibilities
Partner with leaders to create effective business development strategies
Identify and prioritize opportunities within client relationships and target markets
Facilitate planning discussions and outline actionable next steps
Coordinate pitches, proposals, and presentations with persuasive messaging
Conduct market and competitive research to guide client planning
Provide coaching to attorneys for client interactions and presentations
Collaborate with internal departments to align initiatives with business goals
Maintain accurate data in the firm's CRM and promote process adoption
Develop reports and insights to aid decision-making and refine priorities
Foster relationships across offices to enhance cross-selling opportunities
Manage multiple projects with attention to detail and client service
Contribute to improving business development tools and processes
Benefits
Opportunity to shape business development strategy from the ground up
Collaborative work environment with firm leadership and practice teams
Flexibility in office location with consideration for various cities
Engagement in diverse projects across the firm
Professional development through coaching and mentoring opportunities
Full Job Description
Dinsmore is seeking a Business Development Manager - Labor & Employment to help attorneys and practice teams turn priorities into thoughtful, coordinated business development activity. Created in response to the firm's sustained growth, this newly established role offers the opportunity to shape business development strategy for the Labor & Employment department from the ground up. Working closely with firm leadership, attorneys, and colleagues across Marketing and Business Development, this manager will bring structure, insight and momentum to growth initiatives. The successful candidate will be a trusted adviser and hands-on project leader who is curious, asks practical questions, connects people and resources, and helps teams follow through on opportunities.
Preferred locations for this position are commutable to our Cincinnati, Louisville, or Columbus offices, but other office locations will be considered.
Responsibilities
Partner with practice group and department leaders to develop practical business development strategy with firm priorities and client needs
Help attorneys identify and prioritize opportunities within existing client relationships, prospective clients, referral networks, and target markets
Facilitate planning discussions and convert ideas into clear next steps, owners, timelines, and measurable objectives
Coordinate strategic pitches, proposals, RFP responses and presentations, bringing together relevant experience, differentiators, and persuasive messaging
Prepare market, industry, client and competitive research to inform client planning, opportunity assessment, and positioning
Provide one-on-one and small-group coaching to help attorneys prepare for client conversations, meetings, presentations, and relationship-building activities
Collaborate with communications, events, digital, creative, and other internal departments to align thought leadership, sponsorships, and programs with defined business objectives
Maintain accurate opportunity and relationship information in the firm's CRM and related systems and encourage practical adoption of shared processes
Collaborate to develop pipeline monitoring, progress and outcomes; develop concise reports and insights that help leaders make informed decisions and refine priorities
Build strong relationships across offices and practices, identify opportunities for cross-selling, and connect attorneys to address broader client needs
Manage multiple projects and stakeholders with sound judgment, responsiveness, attention to detail, and a commitment to excellent internal client service
Contribute to the continued improvement of business development tools, templates, processes, and team best practices
Perform other duties and support firmwide initiatives as assigned
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent relevant experience required; JD or MBA a plus
Seven or more years of progressively responsible business development or marketing experience
Law firm labor & employment business development experience required.
Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and collaborate effectively with attorneys, firm leaders, and business professionals across offices and functions
Working knowledge of business development planning, pitches and proposals, client and market research, and relationship-management practices
Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, persuasive, and practical recommendations
Sound judgment, discretion, initiative, and a client-service mindset, with the confidence to ask thoughtful questions and guide projects toward completion
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with CRM, proposal-management, research, or related business development systems
Ability to work independently while contributing positively to a collaborative, team-oriented environment
Flexibility to occasionally work outside regular business hours and travel as business needs required
About Dinsmore & Shohl
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP is a full-service, national law firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Comprised of more than 650 attorneys with locations in 26 cities across the United States, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP represents clients in a variety of industries including healthcare, financial services, construction, and energy. The firm has been recognized by numerous publications and organizations for its legal work and commitment to diversity and inclusion.
