Los Angeles - Associate Director of Client Development, Litigation

About Us

For Business Professionals, Winston & Strawn presents an exciting opportunity to be a part of a leading global law firm. With our commitment to excellence, diversity, a collaborative work environment, and an emphasis on professional growth, Winston offers a platform for individuals seeking to advance their careers in a dynamic and rewarding environment. Winston is known for its collaborative and collegial culture.

We believe teamwork is an essential component in providing high-quality legal services and we value the talents and skills of our entire business professional team.

Position Summary

Winston & Strawn LLP is seeking an Associate Director of Client Development to support and advance the firm’s litigation practice. This role partners closely with litigation partners and senior leadership to drive client development initiatives, strengthen key client relationships, and support revenue growth across priority industries and markets. A strategic people leader and synthesizer of client development acumen across multiple go‑to‑market teams, this role elevates the work of team members to meet and exceed expectations on the value additive support and partnership the function provides to key partners.

The Associate Director will play a strategic and execution‑focused role, combining client insight, market intelligence, and business development best practices within a sophisticated, fast‑paced law firm environment.

Duties And Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead the litigation vertical within the client development team and own line management, oversight of workflows and outputs, and expectation and goal setting for team members.
• Create synergies across additional client development verticals and share best practices to strategically grow the department’s approach to scaling and expanding client relationships.
• Identify and nurture growth opportunities for team members, setting stretch goals and ensuring that roles are consistently monitored for performance management and that talent gaps are identified and rectified.

Client Development & Relationship Management

• Serve as a trusted advisor to litigation partners on client development strategy, cross‑selling opportunities, and relationship expansion.
• Support the firm’s key client and priority account programs, including client planning, opportunity identification, and follow‑up execution.
• Analyze client portfolios to identify trends, gaps, and growth opportunities across practices, geographies, and industries.
• Oversight of team charged with preparing for client meetings, pitches, and relationship reviews, including briefing materials and talking points.
• Liase with Strategic Client Events team to advise on the right audience for events and connect follow‑up and ROI tracking as related to client‑facing events.

Client Development Strategy

• Proactively connect opportunities and trends to expand relationships with clients and prospects.
• Collaborate with practice leadership to develop and implement business plans aligned with firm‑wide and practice‑specific objectives.
• Support lateral integration efforts for litigation partners, including client transition planning and market positioning.
• Track and report on business development activity, pipeline health, and outcomes using CRM and internal reporting tools.
• Training on CD best practices for firm lawyers, leading on CD initiatives, and coordinating with department and firm leadership on CD activities as connected to the firm’s strategic plan.

Pitches, Proposals & Presentations

• Oversee high‑profile responses to requests for proposals (RFPs), pitches, and capability statements for Corporate matters.
• Oversee delivery of high caliber work across robust corporate team of BD professionals delivering on litigation‑driven opportunities.
• Coordinate with partners, associates, and marketing colleagues to produce compelling, tailored submissions that reflect client needs and firm strengths.
• Ensure quality, consistency, and timeliness across all pitch materials.

Market & Competitive Intelligence

• Liaise with competitive intelligence and research team on market, industry, and competitive developments affecting the…