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Winston & Strawn LLP · 5 hours ago

Chicago - Associate Director of Client Events

Chicago, IL

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$155K/yr - $205K/yr

10+ years exp

Winston & Strawn LLP is a leading global law firm that offers a dynamic and rewarding environment. The Associate Director of Client Events will be responsible for planning and executing high-impact client-facing events that align with the firm's strategic goals, while managing various stakeholders and ensuring superior client experiences.

Law Practice

Growth Opportunities

Responsibilities

Collaborate with BD/Marketing and practice-group leadership to define the event strategy supporting key clients, sectors and offices

Establish and champion best practices in strategic event planning and execution which translates across centers of excellence firmwide

Lead team of strategic client event team members in visioning the attendee experience to seamless execution and targeted connection to ROI measurement and follow-up connection

Lead the end-to-end lifecycle for multiple premier flagship and regional events: concept development, venue/vendor selection, budgeting, timelines, registration, onsite logistics, audiovisual/technology coordination, brand standards, post-event reporting and ROI analysis

Develop and manage event budgets, track expenses, reconcile invoices and collaborate with Finance

Oversee vendor/contractor relationships (venues, caterers, A/V, transportation, hotels, event design, signage, etc.), ensuring competitive pricing and service excellence

Manage registration/attendee systems, guest lists, invitations, communications, travel logistics, accommodations and attendee experience

Supervise onsite execution, including lead staffing, day-of event checklists, issue resolution, and ensure events run seamlessly

Partner with internal teams (marketing, digital, communications, operations, IT) to ensure event collateral, branding, registration platforms and hybrid/virtual event infrastructure are on-point

Implement metrics and analytics to evaluate event success (attendance, attendee feedback, conversion to business, budget adherence, ROI) and identify areas for improvement

Maintain an event calendar and integrate with broader BD/marketing calendar; ensure alignment across offices/regions

Develop and implement best practices, event process templates, checklists, and vendor/venue databases

Provide leadership to more junior event staff, providing coaching/mentoring, assigning tasks, and reviewing deliverables

Travel as required to support events at other firm locations or off-site venues

Qualification

Event managementBudget managementClient engagementCRM systemsVirtual/hybrid eventsLeadershipCommunication skillsAttention to detail

Required

Bachelor's degree required

Minimum of 10 years of progressive event management experience, ideally within a professional services environment (law firm, consulting, financial services) and with client-facing events required

This hybrid position requires flexibility to travel, work off-site, and support events that may occur after regular business hours

Demonstrated ability to manage large scale, high-visibility events across multiple geographies and/or hybrid formats

Ability to conceptualize and deliver events that advance the firm's client engagement, retention and growth objectives — ensuring the client experience is seamless, memorable and aligned with the firm's brand of trusted adviser

Mastery of the full lifecycle: ideation, budgeting, vendor procurement, logistics, on-site/virtual management, follow-through/metrics

Strong financial mindset — builds and monitors event budgets, tracks KPIs/ROI, justifies spend, and uses insights to refine strategy

Thrives under pressure, adjusts to shifting requirements, maintains quality while handling multiple projects and deadlines

Elevates the event experience to reflect a leading global law firm — high quality, refined aesthetic, attention to detail, consistent with the firm's values of client service, teamwork and innovation

Exceptional written and verbal communication, adept at building relationships with senior leadership, consultants/vendors, clients; able to tailor messaging and manage guest experience at all levels

Strong attention to detail and ability to foresee and solve logistical issues proactively

Proficiency with event registration and CRM systems, Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint), and familiarity with virtual/hybrid event platforms

Ability to analyze metrics, interpret data, and make recommendations for future events

Able to travel (domestic and possibly international) and work occasional evenings/weekends as required by event schedule

Leadership experience: supervising or mentoring staff, driving process improvements, proposing new ideas for client engagement through events

Provides leadership, guidance and development opportunities for event team members/coordinators, instilling best practices and ensuring smooth delivery