Manager, Business Development - M&A
About the job
- Strong knowledge of relevant firm computer software, including CRM/InterAction, Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel, and the ability to learn new software and operating systems.
- Maintain current knowledge of industry best practices, trends, and techniques.
- Demonstrate strong project management skills and manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrate attention to detail and proofreading and fact-checking skills.
- Improve existing content and the design of pitch and proposal materials.
- Develop a deep understanding of the firm's business.
- Develop relationships and collaborate with stakeholders.
- Lead and supervise others.
- Learn new software, systems, databases, and procedures quickly.
- Work independently and collaboratively in hybrid teams.
- Handle sensitive matters and maintain confidentiality.
- Organize and prioritize work and delegate effectively.
- Use discretion and exercise independent judgment.
- Travel and attend key events and meetings on occasion.
- Adjust hours as needed to meet operating and business needs.
- Bachelor's degree.
- At least seven years of business development and marketing experience in a law firm.
- Implement proactive marketing and business development initiatives for selected transactional practices, including client-targeting programs and pursuit teams for target markets.
- Draft pitches, capability statements, placemats, and business-development presentations in collaboration with relevant partners and the appropriate coordinator.
- Own pitch and presentation content, drafting tailored copy that conveys the firm's credentials, differentiators, and value proposition to potential clients.
- Advise attorneys on lead development, pitching, and follow-up throughout the sales cycle.
- Manage sales pipeline processes for assigned practices and partners across regions.
- Oversee collection of practice experience for the firm's database to ensure accurate profiling.
- Identify and support cross-practice and cross-region opportunities, collaborating with attorneys and marketing to align strategies, measure target progress, and advance business development plans.
- Work with the appropriate director to implement strategic plans for practice segments, execute tactics, report progress, and align resources.
- Collaborate with Strategic Intelligence to prepare briefings and research for attorneys ahead of events and meetings.
- Drive programs that raise practice visibility and positioning in key markets through speaking events, sponsorships, public relations, and social media.
- Manage legal directory, award, and ranking opportunities, including drafting practice submissions.
- Evaluate profile-raising opportunities to maximize the benefit of sponsorships and speaking engagements.
- Monitor industry trends and collaborate with attorneys and the editorial team on client mailings and articles.
- Lead strategic planning and execution of client events and speaking engagements with the Global Events team.
- Analyze attendee lists and prepare tailored engagement materials.
- Support attorney follow-up and track outcomes and activities in the firm's CRM for event management and client interaction.
- Manage firm resources responsibly.
- Provide direction and oversight to direct reports, monitor performance, and provide regular feedback.
- Participate in interviewing, selection, and training.
About the company
Skadden is a global law firm advising corporations, financial institutions, and governments on complex cross-border matters. It covers M&A, capital markets, private equity, finance, restructuring, tax, insurance, and government enforcement, along with a strong international litigation and arbitration practice. Its London office integrates UK, European, and US capabilities to handle cross-border deals and regulatory work, including M&A under the Takeover Code, financial services regulation, EU competition, employment, and IP. The firm differentiates itself through its large, coordinated international platform and recognized expertise across multiple jurisdictions, enabling clients to navigate global markets and disputes. Its goal is to provide clear, high-quality legal guidance and representation that helps clients manage risk and achieve their business objectives in multinational matters.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
1948
Get referred to Skadden
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Skadden added Sam Blake in London, deepening infrastructure and sponsor coverage in 2026.
- Skadden won Benchmark Litigation Europe recognition in 2026, reinforcing litigation-market credibility.
- Skadden keeps expanding high-stakes defense offerings across mass torts, securities, and arbitration.
What critics are saying
- Democrats continue probing Skadden's Trump pro bono deal and Intel advice through August 2026.
- That ethics fight threatens client trust, recruiting, and conflicts reviews across politically sensitive matters.
- A protracted congressional investigation becomes existential if major public-company clients defect.
What makes Skadden unique
- Skadden added Sophie Lamb KC and Samuel Pape on February 9, 2026.
- Skadden launched a Consumer Class Action Litigation and Mass Arbitration Group on September 16, 2026.
- Skadden partnered with OpenAI in 2026, signaling productized legal-work efficiency.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Paid Vacation
Parental Leave
Professional Development Budget
Wellness Program
Company News
Cozen O'Connor adds elite commercial leasing attorney Russell G. Wohl to its New York City office. * October 5, 2026 * 9:16 am NEW YORK, NY - Cozen O'Connor announced a significant addition to its multi-faceted, full service Real Estate Practice with the hiring of renowned leasing attorney Russell G. Wohl. Wohl comes to the firm from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and brings decades of experience representing major landlords and tenants throughout New York City. He will chair Cozen O'Connor's Real Estate Leasing practice and be based in the New York City office at 3 World Trade Center. Wohl's practice focuses on headquarters and anchor-tenant leases, ground-up construction, high-value occupancy projects, and other major office leasing transactions. Latest talk of the town. October 5, 2026
2026 Bermuda International Life & Annuity Conference Key Takeaways. Home " Corporate/M&A / Insurance & Reinsurance " Asia Pacific / Bermuda / Cayman Islands / Japan / USA " 2026 Bermuda International Life & Annuity Conference Key Takeaways. Skadden was proud to serve as a Diamond Sponsor of the 2026 Bermuda International Life & Annuity Conference, hosted by Bermuda International Long Term Insurers and Reinsurers (BILTIR). Skadden's Insurance practice was prominently represented among attendees of BILTIR and Skadden's Elena Coyle, co-head of reinsurance and insurance M&A, moderated a panel on the U.S.-Bermuda value chain, which examined how innovation in U.S. life and annuity market flows through to Bermuda-based reinsurance solutions. Drawing from conversations at the conference and Skadden's observations of current market trends, Conventus Law has the following five key takeaways for the long-term (re)insurance sector. 1. Bermuda Is Making Transparency Its Competitive Advantage Bermuda's long-term sector opened the conference with a clear message: Its resilience is demonstrated publicly, not just asserted. BILTIR Chair Natasha Scotland Courcy told delegates that the market manages more than $1.5 trillion in assets for roughly 90 million policyholders, and that assets exceed liabilities by $238 billion, up from $231 billion a year earlier. She pointed to the BMA's global financial crisis stress test, where the median stressed liquidity coverage ratio was 471%, more than four times the 105% regulatory minimum. She also said the BMA's enhanced public disclosure requirements give stakeholders better visibility into the assets and liabilities backing long-term business. (For a detailed look at the framework behind these results, see Skadden's Encyclopaedia of Prudential Solvency chapter on the Bermuda prudential solvency regime.) As more international attention falls on asset-intensive reinsurance, Conventus Law expect disclosure and stress-testing results to play a larger role in counterparty diligence and regulatory dialogue. 2. US Regulators Are Weighing Higher Capital for Certain Offshore Transactions National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) President Scott White told delegates that U.S. regulators are considering tougher capital requirements for some offshore life reinsurance deals, particularly transactions that leave insurers holding less capital than U.S. standards would require. He explained that some transactions with nonreciprocal reinsurers have produced larger reserve reductions and could create more strain if recapture is needed, and that the NAIC is exploring capital requirements that reflect both recapture risk and the higher credit risk of weaker reinsurers. Bermuda already holds NAIC recognition of regulatory equivalence, while Cayman, whose life and annuities sector held about $101 billion at the end of 2025, is seeking the same. Cedents and reinsurers should expect more attention on recapture provisions, collateral arrangements and counterparty strength in transaction structuring, along with a growing regulatory distinction between jurisdictions. 3. Private Credit Remains Under the Microscope Private credit was a theme on both days. White said the NAIC is strengthening its oversight of private-credit investments, which now make up a growing share of life reinsurers' portfolios. He described changes to bond classification rules, stronger powers to challenge ratings, better reporting on affiliated investment arrangements and updated capital factors for certain structured securities. He also said that starting this year, insurers will be required to provide much more detail on how private investments are originated, valued, distributed and supported. In Bermuda, the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) introduced a prudent person principle and expanded disclosure requirements effective January 2026. A Day 2 panel with the BMA, Blackstone, the Wisconsin insurance commissioner and Global Atlantic focused on liquidity, valuation, transparency and alignment in private credit that backs long-term liabilities. As the convergence of insurance and asset management continues, strong governance and clear valuation practices are becoming central to the market's license to operate. 4. Risk Transformation Is Moving Toward Segregated Capital Structures One of the panel sessions on day one looked at how Bermuda's risk transformation toolkit has grown beyond traditional securitization and ILS into segregated capital solutions such as sidecars, SPIs and ISACs, driven by investor demand, BMA-supported innovation and the growth of asset-intensive reinsurance. Conventus Law continue to see third-party capital looking for efficient, ring-fenced access to life and annuity risk. Conventus Law expect these vehicles to become more common alongside traditional reinsurance and flow arrangements, particularly as sponsors seek to scale capacity without adding to their own balance sheets. 5. Asia and the Retirement Gap Are Shaping Long-Term Growth While the U.S. remains Bermuda's core market, accounting for 82% of ceded business compared with 11% for Japan, Japan is one of the market's fastest-growing strategic relationships. Scotland Courcy discussed that aging populations will create large demand for retirement income and longevity protection, and that Bermuda is well positioned to help insurers across Asia and elsewhere turn long-term savings into dependable lifetime income. Day 2 sessions on the global retirement gap and Bermuda's growing presence in APAC reinforced the point, with particular focus on high-net-worth and long-term savings markets. Consistent with its ReFocus observations, Conventus Law expect reinsurer interest to keep expanding beyond Japan into other developed East Asian markets. This memorandum is provided by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and its affiliates for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended and should not be construed as legal advice. This memorandum is considered advertising under applicable state laws. For further information, please contact:
Skadden adds infrastructure investments partner Sam Blake in London. Skadden is pleased to announce Sam Blake has joined the firm as a partner in the Financial Sponsors Group in its London office. Mr. Blake is an experienced private equity lawyer who has advised on complex transactions across the U.K. and Europe, with particular experience in infrastructure and infrastructure-related investments, including energy transition, digital infrastructure, transportation and regulated assets. Mr. Blake brings more than 20 years of experience across private practice and senior investor-side roles. Most recently, he spent nearly eight years at Antin Infrastructure Partners (Antin), where he was a partner and worked closely with investment teams on the legal aspects of transactions across the investment lifecycle, from origination and execution through to exit. During his time at Antin, Mr. Blake worked on investments and disposals across a range of infrastructure sectors, including digital, transport, energy and social infrastructure. Prior to joining Antin, Mr. Blake spent more than a decade in private practice advising financial sponsors and other clients on domestic and cross-border M&A and private equity transactions. "Sam has considerable experience of infrastructure transactions across the region, a sector that is key to our clients," said Lorenzo Corte, global head of Skadden's transactions practices. "Sam's arrival reflects our focused strategy of investing in areas where we see significant opportunities for our clients and continuing to strengthen our transactional platform in Europe. Infrastructure is an increasingly important part of the global M&A landscape, and Sam's experience further enhances our ability to advise clients on their most complex transactions in the U.K., and across Europe." "Sam is an important addition to our Financial Sponsors team in London," said Richard Youle, head of Skadden's London office and co-head of the firm's Private Equity Group. "He is an experienced deal lawyer who has spent the past eight years sitting on the other side of the table, working closely with investment teams on infrastructure and infrastructure-adjacent transactions. That gives him a clear understanding of how sponsors approach these investments, from deal structuring through to regulatory and stakeholder considerations, and what they expect from their advisers. He complements the experience we already have across the team and will be an important part of our work with sponsors in London and internationally." "Having worked closely with investment teams, I have seen firsthand what sponsors need from their advisers when executing complex infrastructure transactions, where the intersection of regulatory frameworks, long-dated capital and multiple stakeholders creates distinct challenges to navigate," said Mr. Blake. "I am looking forward to bringing that perspective back into private practice and working with colleagues across Skadden's transactional practices to support clients investing in the U.K., Europe and internationally." Mr. Blake earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Modern History from New College, Oxford. He is a solicitor of the courts of England and Wales.
Bonelli Erede and Hogan Lovells Cadwalader latest to boost Brussels ranks with partner hires. The hires follow a flurry of activity in the de-facto European capital 15 September 2026 Francesco Maria Salerno (left) and Michael Frese Two international law firms have appointed new partners in Brussels as they look to expand in the city and increase their EU law capabilities, the latest to do so following a string of moves in the Belgian city. Francesco Maria Salerno has joined Italian firm Bonelli Erede as a local partner, while Dutch-qualified Michael Frese becomes partner at Hogan Lovells Cadwalader (HLC). Salerno was most recently managing partner of the Brussels office of Gianni & Origoni, where he served for nine years, following a seven-year stint as a senior lawyer at Cleary Gottlieb. He brings extensive experience in EU law and institutions and various aspects of competition law, including state aid. He also adds additional knowledge of market regulation, with a focus largely on sectors impacted by European legislation, including digital, energy, transport, banking and finance. Additionally, Salerno has experience in FDI screening and international trade, an area in which Mayer Brown hired Pablo Bentes from Baker McKenzie last week as it looked to bolster its own practice. Advertisement In a joint statement, BonelliErede's managing partner, Eliana Catalano, and chairman, Massimiliano Danusso, said the move was part of the continued development of the firm's Brussels office and corresponding practices. "His experience and in-depth knowledge of the European context will further enhance our ability to support clients in an increasingly complex and constantly evolving regulatory landscape," they added. Frese, meanwhile, joins HLC after spending his entire thirteen-year career at Skadden Arps, where he was a counsel. He brings more than a decade of experience advising companies on all aspects of EU competition law and various areas of EU and national market regulation, including the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act. He boasts a broad-based sectoral practice spanning a wide range of industries. Frese has worked on numerous high-profile, multi-jurisdictional merger filings and represents companies on investigations governed by authorities in the EU and outside of the bloc, as well as in proceedings before the European courts. A Dutch national admitted in Brussels, Frese also represents clients before the European Commission and the Belgian and Dutch competition authorities. LAW OVER BORDERS COMPARATIVE GUIDES Global M&A Law Guide Mergers and acquisitions remain a central mechanism through which companies pursue growth, transformation and competitive advantage... | 4mos. Janice Hogan, who leads the firm's regulatory practice, said that strengthening the firm's merger control capability was "a clear strategic priority", in a statement. "Michael brings exactly the depth of large-scale, multi-jurisdictional merger control experience our clients are asking for," she added, citing his life sciences practice as an additional bonus. On joining HLC, Frese said: "I have been impressed by the ambition for the Brussels office and by the strength of the firm's regulatory, life sciences and trade practices, and I am looking forward to working with colleagues here and across the network to help clients navigate an increasingly complex competition landscape." The move is set to fill a gap at HLC following the exit of antitrust partner May Lyn Yuen, who was hired by Vinson & Elkins to spearhead the firm's first continental European office in March. The city has become a hotspot for US firms, with Paul Hastings hiring competition lawyer Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte from King & Spalding to relaunch its office, also in March. And in May, European competition law heavyweight Cleary lost three antitrust partners from its Brussels office to Kirkland & Ellis, including Robbert Snelders, co-head of its EMEA competition practice.
Anthropic names new GC as Big Law pushes deeper into AI. Anthropic has appointed Elena Leichty as general counsel, succeeding Jeffrey Bleich, who will transition to international special envoy. Leichty joined Anthropic three years ago after five years as corporate legal counsel at Google and previously worked at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. The leadership change comes as Anthropic expands its government and legal-tech efforts, including hiring former California Supreme Court Justice Tino Cuéllar as chief global affairs officer and former Akiva AI CEO Robert Mahari as legal lead for its flagship software. Market movements. * White & Case LLP Adds Ex-Kirkland Real Estate, Mergers & Acquisitions Pro, Joseph Sultan In Miami * Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has tapped a Goodwin Procter partner, William "Willy" Jay, with extensive appellate experience to lead itsU.S. Supreme Court practice * King & Spaldinghas deepened its construction and energy litigation offerings with a Dallas-based counsel from Reed Smith LLP, Eugenie Rogers * Jones Walker LLP announced Monday that it has brought on five attorneys from a shuttering boutique law firm to bolster its office in Lafayette, Louisiana,Thomas G. Smart and Steven C. Lanza, David M. Fink, Mark B. Oliver and Douglas W. Truxillo Firm spotlight - Mayer Brown LLP. Mayer Brown is a leading global law firm with more than 1,800 lawyers and a strong reputation in corporate, finance, appellate, and financial services work. Founded in Chicago in 1879 through an unlikely partnership between Levy Mayer and Adolf Kraus, the firm has grown into an international powerhouse. It is particularly recognized for its Supreme Court and appellate practice, as well as its work with major financial institutions. Beyond its legal expertise, Mayer Brown emphasizes professional development through individualized and group coaching focused on career growth, communication, mentorship, and work-life transitions. Industry insights. * Wells Fargo pointed out that lawyer compensation increased 8.9% in the first half of 2026 but slowed from the 10.5% growth experienced this time last year. * Fast fashion retailer SHEIN has tapped Big Law firms including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates and Latham & Watkins to advise on its IPO. SHEIN Global Holdings is seeking to raise up to HK$13.9 billion ($1.8 billion) in Hong Kong after regulatory scrutiny derailed earlier US and London listing attempts. * Probabilistic AI School (ProbAI) still hallucinates at rates as high as 69% to 88%. As a result, 39% of lawyers cite a lack of trust in AI results as a key barrier to adoption, while only 6% of clients say their vendors currently deliver AI-enabled quality.BigLaw firms saw "rare" demand growth and double-digit revenue gains in the first half of 2026, according to Citi. Demand rose 4.2%, well above the historical 1.5%-2% range, helping drive an 11.7% increase in revenue from the same period in 2025. Newcode Raises Funding to Expand AI Legal Platform in U.S. Newcode.ai, a Norway-based legal tech startup, is expanding in the U.S. after raising a Series A round, bringing its total 2026 funding to $20 million. Its AI-powered legal operating system helps law firms centralize workflows, manage legal intelligence and connect with other AI tools and data sources. The company serves more than 60 law firms and government agencies across Europe and the U.S., with revenue more than tripling over the past year. Newcode.ai plans to use the funding to expand its U.S. presence and invest in customer support, product development and go-to-market operations. Legal Experts Stress Human Judgment in AI Adoption Experts at ILTACON 2026 emphasized that while AI can improve legal work, lawyers must maintain human judgment and oversight. Panelists warned against "vibe lawyering," where attorneys rely too heavily on AI to make legal decisions, and stressed the importance of reviewing AI-generated work for errors. They also highlighted the need for firms to strategically select and train employees on AI tools, measure ROI and experiment safely to understand their limitations.