Business Development, Competitive Intelligence, Sales Techniques, Content Level, Advanced, Content Type, Webinar Recording, Firm Size, All Sizes, Merchandise, Midwest, LMA International, Virtual Event, LMA International | Business Development, 2025
LMA Beyond Borders - Innovate to Elevate: Business Development Across Borders
LMA Beyond Borders - Innovate to Elevate: Business Development Across Borders
Innovate to Elevate: Business Development Across Borders
Presented by the Midwest
LMA Body of Knowledge Domain: Business Development
Competencies: Sales Techniques & Competitive Intelligence
As law firms and professional services organizations expand their global reach, business development leaders are rethinking how to drive growth across diverse markets, industries, and cultures. This engaging “Beyond Borders” webinar features a cross-industry panel of BD professionals from technology, life sciences, banking, and investment advisory. Together, they’ll explore how innovation, strategic collaboration, and cultural intelligence are shaping the future of business development in a borderless legal landscape.
- Identify key trends and challenges in global business development
- Evaluate BD strategies across tech, life sciences, banking, and investment advisory
- Develop actionable approaches to grow business beyond regional markets.
Presenters:
Alya Woods, Business Development Leader, Cooley LLP. Alya Woods is vice president, business development at Cooley serving the greater Midwest market. She joined Cooley in 2021 as part of the firm’s Chicago market expansion. Alya has worked passionately for over a decade to develop the Chicago tech ecosystem, supporting startup growth, connecting investors and entrepreneurs, and bridging the public and private sector. Prior to joining Cooley, Alya held various leadership roles focused on tech ecosystem, economic and business development.
John Albrighton, Director, Lincoln International. John leverages over 20 years of experience advising law firms and financial services organizations on strategic growth, client development and transaction support. Working in law firms for over a decade has afforded John a unique perspective on the internal operations and needs of law firms that deliver successful transactions and client outcomes. Before joining Lincoln, John was the director of marketing and business development for Neal Gerber Eisenberg, a Chicago-based law firm. He collaborated with firm leadership to develop and execute go-to-market strategies focused on revenue growth through client retention, expansion and new business acquisition. Earlier in his career, he held marketing and business development leadership roles at Sidley, Jenner & Block, Duff & Phelps and LaSalle Bank.
Nader Elrashidy, Life Sciences Business Development Leader, Cooley LLP. Nader Elrashidy is a seasoned biotech and pharmaceutical executive with 25 years of leadership experience in financial consulting, corporate finance, sales forecasting, sales and marketing, business development, strategic business planning, fundraising, general management, new company formation and venture capital. Nader works as an advisor to various life sciences ventures, specialty pharmaceutical companies and investors to assist with strategic business planning, fundraising, business development and corporate development.
Tim Lew, Managing Director, Stifel Bank. As a managing director at Stifel Venture Bank focused on life science and healthcare, Tim mentors and advises startups at all stages of their journey, connecting them to the larger ecosystem and accelerating them to their next inflection point via company building and fundraising strategies. Tim is based in San Francisco Bay Area, where he spent a majority of his career in medical device sales before moving to finance. Tim graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Masters in evolutionary genetics and completed his MBA from UNC Chapel Hill in 2022.
Alya Woods, Business Development Leader, Cooley LLP. Alya Woods is vice president, business development at Cooley serving the greater Midwest market. She joined Cooley in 2021 as part of the firm’s Chicago market expansion. Alya has worked passionately for over a decade to develop the Chicago tech ecosystem, supporting startup growth, connecting investors and entrepreneurs, and bridging the public and private sector. Prior to joining Cooley, Alya held various leadership roles focused on tech ecosystem, economic and business development.
John Albrighton, Director, Lincoln International. John leverages over 20 years of experience advising law firms and financial services organizations on strategic growth, client development and transaction support. Working in law firms for over a decade has afforded John a unique perspective on the internal operations and needs of law firms that deliver successful transactions and client outcomes. Before joining Lincoln, John was the director of marketing and business development for Neal Gerber Eisenberg, a Chicago-based law firm. He collaborated with firm leadership to develop and execute go-to-market strategies focused on revenue growth through client retention, expansion and new business acquisition. Earlier in his career, he held marketing and business development leadership roles at Sidley, Jenner & Block, Duff & Phelps and LaSalle Bank.
Cost:
Members: Complimentary
Prospective Members: $79