Senior Business Development Manager - Intellectual Property

Honigman is a premier business law firm, based in Michigan with an international practice. Honigman is consistently recognized as one of the 101 Best and Brightest Places to Work, we earned this recognition by recruiting attorneys and staff members with outstanding credentials. Currently, we are looking for a Senior Business Development Manager - Intellectual Property in our Detroit, Washington D.C., or Chicago office.

In addition to our Detroit and Chicago offices, we have offices in Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Hills, and Kalamazoo. With more than 350 attorneys working in 60 different areas of concentration, Honigman provides timely and cost-effective counsel to clients in numerous industries.

The Senior Business Development Manager – Intellectual Property leads business development and marketing strategy for the IP Department, including patent, trademark, and litigation practices, while serving as the marketing and business development lead for the firm's Life Sciences industry group. As a strategic advisor to department and firm leadership, this role drives client growth, cross-selling, and market visibility through targeted business development initiatives, marketing programs, events, and thought leadership.

The position requires a proactive, entrepreneurial leader who can identify opportunities, build relationships, and execute strategies that advance the firm's growth objectives.

• Serve as trusted advisor and as primary point of contact for initiating, directing, and providing business development and marketing support, strategic guidance and proactive recommendations for the development, implementation, and management of business development and marketing plans, development of collateral and marketing content, communications, and client and industry programs.
• Collaborate closely with Department Leaders, Practice Group Leaders (PGLs), partners, and cross-functional teams to develop and implement comprehensive business development strategies focused on client retention, cross-selling, and market expansion initiatives.
• Lead and influence the integration of business plans with broader firm objectives, ensuring measurable progress and results.
• Identify and pursue strategic new growth opportunities within Intellectual Property and when relevant for the Life Sciences industry group, leveraging market insights.
• Collect and maintain robust marketing collateral catalog, relevant experience, and firm capabilities for marketing and business development opportunities.
• Lead and collaborate with department proposal team and colleagues for pitch and proposal needs.
• Conduct market research, analyze trends, and monitor competitors to identify growth opportunities and guide strategy.
• Maintain expertise on relevant legal and regulatory developments impacting client industries, advising teams on market implications.
• Oversee comprehensive tracking, reporting, and analysis of business development activities, client acquisition, and marketing program effectiveness, providing insights and recommendations to Department Chairs and PGLs.
• Identify cross-selling, networking events, and thought leadership opportunities to elevate the profile and market presence of assigned practice groups.
• Build and nurture strong relationships with lead attorneys and business colleagues to ensure alignment and execution of strategic goals.
• Develop a robust understanding of related practice areas to foster cross-practice collaboration and integrated client solutions.
• Assess and advise on conference and networking engagements, assisting attorneys in strategy development and execution to maximize ROI.
• Manage, mentor, and develop business development and marketing team members, fostering a high-performance…