Business Development Manager
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Salary: MYR 7,000 – 10,000 per month
Reference: 5W84VX73
About the Opportunity
The company is opening a brand-new seat at the table — and it's not for a lawyer.
For years, business development at the firm has lived inside the partners themselves: the "marketing lawyers" who network on the side of a full caseload, squeezing relationship building between client meetings and court dates. It works, but it doesn't scale, and it isn't anyone's full-time job.
This role changes that. We're bringing in a dedicated business development professional — someone whose entire mandate is to go out, build relationships, and bring qualified corporate prospects back to the partners. You won't be expected to practice law, give legal advice, or close deals. Your job is to open doors and get the right people talking. The partners take it from there.
This is a pioneer role in every sense — there's no playbook to inherit, no predecessor to shadow. You'll have real latitude to shape how business development gets done here, and the visibility that comes with building something from zero.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
Be the face of the firm in rooms lawyers don't usually walk into. Industry mixers, business chambers, trade associations, corporate events — you're building presence in spaces where future clients already gather.
Be the firm's public-facing marketing presence — appear in video shoots, interview entrepreneurs and business leaders, participate in on-air sessions, and support initiatives that build relationships, generate opportunities, and strengthen brand visibility.
Build and work a pipeline of corporate & commercial prospects. Identify companies and decision-makers who could use the firm's services and open a genuine line of conversation with them.
Warm up relationships before the partners ever step in. Understand enough about a prospect's business and pain points to make the eventual introduction to a partner feel relevant and well-timed — not cold.
Represent the firm's story and capabilities credibly, without needing to answer legal questions yourself. Know enough to speak intelligently, and know exactly when to say, "let me connect you with the right partner for that."
Manage a structured follow-up cadence — this isn't a one-off networking event job. Consistent outreach, relationship nurturing, and pipeline tracking are core to the role.
Feed intelligence back into the firm — flag industry trends, prospect feedback, and market shifts that help partners sharpen how they position the firm's practice areas.
Partner closely with the firm's leadership to align on which industries, company sizes, and deal types are worth chasing.
What Success Looks Like
You'll know you're winning when: Partners are consistently walking into first meetings with prospects who are already warm, informed, and genuinely interested — not cold leads.
A visible, growing pipeline of corporate & commercial opportunities exists that didn't exist before this role.
The firm has a recognisable presence in relevant business networks and industry circles that it didn't have a year ago.
Skills
A genuine comfort with networking — this role lives at events, coffee meetings, and follow-up calls, not behind a desk.
Strong communication skills and the confidence to represent a professional services brand credibly to corporate decision-makers.
Strong marketing, communications, media or content background is welcomed, particularly for candidates who enjoy being on camera and are comfortable being the face of a company.
Self-direction. There's no established process yet — you'll need to be comfortable building your own rhythm and reporting structure.
A results-oriented mindset, comfortable being measured on pipeline and introductions rather than billable output.
Prior exposure to professional services, corporate clients, or B2B relationship building is a strong plus — but a strong networker with the right hunger will be seriously considered even without it.
Why Join at This Stage
Genuine autonomy — you're defining how this function looks at the firm, not fitting into an existing mould.
Direct visibility with partners — this isn't a role buried in a large marketing team; you'll be working closely with firm leadership from day one.
A rare hybrid seat — professional services credibility, sales-style freedom.
Remuneration: Open and commensurate with experience — the firm is prioritising the right fit for this role over rigid banding, so both legal-adjacent and pure-sales candidates should feel free to discuss expectations.
