Business Development Associate, Legal Partnerships

Intro description: Legalist is a tech-enabled alternative asset manager that uses proprietary data-driven origination to invest in uncorrelated legal and government-payment assets. Founded out of Y Combinator in 2016, Legalist manages over $1.7 billion for endowments, foundations, and family offices. Business Development Associate, Legal Partnerships Legalist is expanding its presence across the personal injury plaintiff market and looking for a sharp, self-directed business development professional to help build and manage a pipeline of law firm relationships. The right candidate knows how to earn credibility with sophisticated professionals, build relationships over time, and navigate the distinct culture of plaintiff-side law firms. Key Responsibilities Build and maintain a qualified pipeline of law firm relationships through targeted outreach, referral networks, bar association channels, legal conference engagement, and direct relationship development Conduct thoughtful outbound outreach tailored to the sensibilities of plaintiff attorneys and firm owners, not generic sales sequences Identify key decision-makers at target firms and develop multi-touch engagement strategies appropriate to the relationship and firm profile Research and profile target firms including practice mix, geography, size, and ownership structure to assess partnership fit Qualify opportunities and advance conversations toward introductory meetings with Legalist's leadership team Maintain accurate pipeline tracking and outreach records in CRM; report clearly on activity, conversion metrics, and market intelligence Develop and iterate on messaging that speaks credibly to attorneys — their economics, their challenges, and what a relationship with Legalist can offer their practice What We're Looking For 3–5 years of experience in business development, practice development, or a related role ideally with exposure to legal services, professional services, or financial services targeting senior professional audiences Demonstrated ability to build trust with and open doors to senior professionals (attorneys, physicians, executives) who are not easy to reach and are skeptical of traditional sales outreach Familiarity with the personal injury plaintiff bar is a plus Comfortable operating with autonomy including building your own target lists, crafting your own outreach, and developing strategy without a rigid playbook Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to adjust tone and approach based on audience Self-starter and diligent