White & Case is an elite global law firm serving leading companies, financial institutions and governments worldwide. Our long history as an international firm means we are perfectly placed to help our clients resolve their most complex legal challenges wherever they may be.
With lawyers and staff operating from more than 47 locations, working in virtually every country of the world, we have invested heavily in building a high-quality full-service practice competing at the top of the market. We are distinguished by our on-the-ground presence in the world’s key financial markets and our strengths in handling complex cross-border work.
It’s not just about our global network of offices and shared services centers; it’s the global interconnectedness of the Firm that our people, and our clients, value most. We work well together across geographic and practice boundaries. It’s one of the reasons we attract and retain cross-border work. And why we attract a diverse group of people.
Our lawyers are globally minded, enterprising, collaborative and committed to excellence. Our people represent 90 nationalities and speak 80 languages.
Position Summary
The Associate Director, Business Development is a strategic leader and trusted advisor who shapes and drives business development strategy for their practice group, with a strong cross-practice and cross-functional lens. The role is accountable for designing and leading high-impact, multi-disciplinary initiatives that advance sustainable growth, strengthen client relationships, and align with the firm’s long-term objectives.
Acting as a senior expert resource to partners and leadership teams, the Associate Director provides strategic counsel on client acquisition, account growth, and retention—translating market insight, competitive intelligence, and performance data into actionable recommendations. The role leads the development and execution of priority business development programs and complex pursuits, ensuring innovation, consistency, and alignment with client needs and firm priorities.
The Associate Director champions collaboration across practice groups, industry teams, strategic client teams, and regional marketing colleagues to deliver integrated, client-focused solutions. The role also drives continuous improvement of business development standards, processes, and ways of working—promoting operational excellence, effective use of resources, and measurable impact—while ensuring activity remains commercially competitive and aligned with firm governance and risk parameters.
Duties and Accountabilities
Strategic planning and client cultivation
- Lead the development and execution of client-specific strategies in partnership with practice and industry leaders, ensuring alignment with firm priorities.
- Utilize market intelligence, client mapping, and competitive analysis to identify and pursue high-value client opportunities, and to deepen relationships with strategic clients.
- Guide teams in the creation of business plans and ensures BD efforts are integrated with broader firm strategy.
Proposals and pitch excellence
- Oversee the design and delivery of highly tailored, innovative, and priority-aligned proposals and pitches for key matters.
- Collaborate across practices and functions to bring the best of the firm to each opportunity, leveraging client and industry insights to secure high-impact work.
- Champion best practices in pitch development and ensures consistency in firm positioning.
- Develop and lead thought leadership initiatives and external positioning efforts, working closely with marketing and communications teams.
- Develop and execute strategies to showcase the firm’s expertise, drive business growth, and strengthen the reputation of the practice group and its partners.
- Ensure alignment of thought leadership, legal rankings, and external events with firm strategy and growth priorities.
Cross-Practice & Stakeholder Collaboration
- Act as a visible senior leader, fostering cross-practice alignment and collaboration with PG/Regional marketers, strategic client teams, and industry BD teams.
- Influence and negotiate with senior stakeholders, including executive committee members, regional section heads, and partners, to drive strategic business development initiatives and optimize client engagement.
- Develop, llead and execute impactful major projects and/or teams (directly or through matrix leadership), providing direction, coaching, and oversight to ensure high standards of delivery and professional development.
- Deliver impact regardless of span of control; recognized for strategic thinking, innovative problem-solving, and the ability to resolve complex, cross-functional issues affecting growth, client outcomes, and market positioning.
Performance and impact
- Accountable for the measurable impact of BD initiatives, including growth in client relationships, successful pitches, enhanced market positioning, and the achievement of strategic business development goals.
- Drive continuous improvement and ensures the BD function delivers maximum value to the firm.
- Significant experience in business development (or closely aligned commercial/marketing roles) within a complex professional services environment; legal sector experience preferred.
- Deep expertise in core BD disciplines (e.g., client strategy and planning, pitching and pursuit management, market positioning and thought leadership), with demonstrated ability to lead complex initiatives from design through execution.
- Strong understanding of the legal market, client buying dynamics, and competitor positioning; ability to translate external insight into clear BD priorities and differentiated strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to operate cross-functionally and cross-practice, influencing senior stakeholders and aligning diverse teams in a matrix environment.
- Proven commercial acumen and analytical capability; able to use data, judgment, and market insight to diagnose issues, develop solutions, and advise leadership.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and negotiation skills; able to build consensus, manage sensitive conversations, and represent the practice group professionally with internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement in standards, processes, and ways of working, ensuring high-quality delivery, effective use of resources, and measurable impact.
- Experience leading teams and/or major projects, including coaching and developing colleagues and driving high performance through clear expectations and accountability.
- This role has formal management responsibility for senior business development professionals and/or complex, cross-functional programs, providing leadership, oversight, and direction to ensure capability, quality, and impact across the practice group.
Location and Reporting
- This is a full-time role based in our New York office.
- This role reports to Director, Business Development - Finance
Note to Recruitment Agencies
Our Internal Recruitment team are responsible for all end-to-end lateral recruitment process. All agencies must sign White & Case terms of business which are often specific. Candidates submitted by an agency without terms of business agreed with the appropriate office, and/or outside of our online application tracking system, will not be considered a formal introduction. Any applications and CVs sent directly to White & Case Partners and employees will not be accepted as formal introductions. If you have any questions, please contact the Americas Lateral Recruitment team.
White & Case is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and is committed to creating a fair workplace. It is our Firm's policy to recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.
Applicants who are interested in applying for a position and require an accommodation during the process should contact
Benefits at White & Case
White & Case LLP offers a comprehensive suite of benefit programs to all eligible employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability coverage, 401(k) retirement savings, vacation time, and leave programs (including parental leave). Exempt roles are also performance bonus eligible.
The firm may modify and amend this job description at any time in its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or modifies the at-will nature of employment.
The above is only a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.
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