Director of Business Development - Real Estate

Job Description

About Adler & Herbach

Adler & Herbach is a Chicago-area law firm focused exclusively on residential real estate transactions. We represent buyers and sellers throughout the purchase and sale process, with a particular emphasis on communication, responsiveness, practical problem-solving, and getting transactions successfully to closing.

Our business is different from a traditional law firm. We are not trying to sell complicated legal work. Our practice is highly focused and transaction-driven. Our clients need a legal partner who will communicate, advocate for them, solve problems, and help keep the transaction moving.

We believe that our approach brings tremendous value to real estate agents—and we are looking for the person who can build the relationships that allow more agents and their clients to experience it.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Director of Business Development to take ownership of developing Adler & Herbach's Realtor referral network throughout the Chicagoland market.

This is a true business-development role. Your job will be to identify and build relationships with residential real estate agents, understand how they operate their businesses and serve their clients, introduce them to Adler & Herbach, and ultimately establish the firm as the trusted legal partner for their buyers and sellers.

The goal isn't simply to attend networking events or collect business cards. Success means developing genuine Realtor relationships that result in introductions of buyers and sellers to Adler & Herbach.

You will have significant autonomy and will be expected to take ownership of building the firm's presence within the real estate community.

What You'll Do

You will spend the majority of your time in the real estate community—meeting Realtors, developing relationships, creating opportunities, and building a referral pipeline.

Your responsibilities will include:

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• Building and maintaining relationships with residential real estate agents throughout Chicagoland.
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• Developing relationships with individual Realtors, teams, brokerages, and real estate organizations.
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• Meeting with agents one-on-one and in brokerage settings to understand their businesses, challenges, and client-service priorities.
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• Introducing prospective referral partners to Adler & Herbach and clearly communicating what differentiates our approach to residential real estate transactions.
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• Developing and managing a pipeline of prospective Realtor relationships and systematically moving those relationships forward.
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• Organizing and participating in appropriate networking events, educational opportunities, brokerage presentations, lunches, coffees, and other relationship-building activities.
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• Following up consistently and professionally with prospective and existing referral partners.
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• Working closely with the attorneys and team at Adler & Herbach to ensure that the experience promised to Realtors matches the experience actually delivered to their clients.
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• Maintaining accurate records of business-development activity, relationships, opportunities, and follow-up in the firm's CRM.
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• Identifying opportunities to deepen relationships with successful referring agents and expand the firm's presence within the real estate community.
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• Providing regular feedback to firm leadership about what Realtors are asking for, what they value, and how the firm can continue to improve its services.
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Who We're Looking For

We are looking for a rainmaker—not simply a salesperson.

The ideal candidate genuinely enjoys meeting people, opening doors, developing relationships, and asking for the business .

You may be a former Realtor, transaction coordinator, title or mortgage professional, brokerage relationship manager, business-development professional, or another highly successful salesperson with an understanding of the Chicagoland real estate industry.

You should be:

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• Highly personable. You can walk into an office, start a conversation with a stranger, and quickly establish rapport.
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• A genuine salesperson. You enjoy business development and are comfortable asking questions, making introductions, following up, and asking for the opportunity to earn someone's business.
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• Relationship-driven. You understand that trust matters more than a single sales pitch.
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• Entrepreneurial. You see opportunities and pursue them without needing someone to tell you where to go every day.
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• Persistent without being pushy. You know how to stay in front of someone without becoming annoying.
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• Credible with Realtors. You understand the realities of residential real estate and how agents think about their clients, transactions, and vendor relationships.
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• Service-oriented. You understand that what we provide is more than legal advice. It is an experience in which the agent's client feels informed, protected, and well cared for.
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• Organized. You can manage a large network of relationships, maintain disciplined follow-up, and build a meaningful sales pipeline.
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How You'll Work With Our Attorneys

You will not be expected to practice law or provide legal advice.

Your role is to develop the relationship, communicate the firm's value proposition and stay engaged. Our attorneys and legal team will deliver the legal service.

You'll work closely with the attorneys so that you understand exactly what Adler & Herbach delivers and can confidently communicate that value to the real estate community.

What Success Looks Like

During your first six months, success will be measured by more than the number of meetings or networking events you attend.

We will look for:

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• A meaningful network of high-quality Realtor relationships.
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• Credibility with productive agents and teams.
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• A strong pipeline of prospective referral relationships.
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• Conversion of prospective relationships into introductions and opportunities to earn business.
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• Repeat referral relationships with Realtors who value the Adler & Herbach experience.
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• A sustainable business-development process that can continue to grow well beyond the first six months.
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We will provide the resources, access, support, and authority to build the program. We expect you to bring the energy, initiative, relationships, creativity, and sales ability.

Compensation

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• Full-time W-2 employee
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• $80,000 annual base salary
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• Significant additional performance-based compensation
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• Budget for business-development, networking, and relationship-building activities
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Qualifications

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• Proven success in sales, business development, account management, real estate, or a related field.
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• Strong existing network within the Chicagoland real estate community is highly desirable.
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• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
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• Demonstrated ability to develop new relationships and generate business.
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• Self-directed and highly organized.
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• Comfortable working independently and spending significant time in the field.
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• Professional, energetic, persistent, and personable.
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• A law degree is not required.
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• Real estate industry experience is strongly preferred.
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Location

Chicagoland

This is a relationship-driven, field-oriented position and will involve substantial in-person meetings and networking throughout the market.

If you're a business developer who loves real estate, enjoys meeting people, knows how to build relationships, and is motivated by turning those relationships into business, we'd like to meet you.