Client Development Manager at Trestle Law, APC in San Diego, CA

About Trestle Law, APC

We're a boutique IP and business law firm in San Diego serving founders, creatives, and brand-driven businesses across the country and internationally. We protect brands, structure deals, defend disputes, and treat IP as a tool for growth — not a compliance function. Our culture is direct, fast-moving, and strategic. We expect ownership and reward results.

Trestle Law is hiring a Client Development Manager to lead consultative sales and client growth at a fast-moving San Diego IP and business law firm. This isn't a phone-answering or pre-qualification role — we have an intake specialist for that. Your job is the next step: convert qualified leads, recover stalled ones, re-engage existing clients, and grow the firm's revenue through proactive outreach.

You'll run consults with prospective clients, recover leads that come in via email and never make it to a calendar, work warm and cold prospect lists, and run weekly GAS outreach (Give-A-Sh*t calls) with existing and former clients to drive re-engagements, trust replenishments, and new matters. You'll own a pipeline, hit clear monthly targets, and be measured on results.

Compensation

• $55,000–$65,000 base salary plus performance bonuses paid monthly against a defined scorecard. Expected total compensation at target: $85,000–$95,000+.
• California bar rules prohibit law firms from paying non-attorneys a percentage of legal fees, so our bonus structure is built around defined, measurable conversion events — not fee-sharing. Transparent, predictable, and shared in detail with finalists.

Benefits:

• Fully remote (California residents only). Health, vision, and dental premiums are fully paid by the firm. 401(k) with employer match.

Responsibilities

Conversion & Consults

• Run consultations by phone and video
• Recover leads that come in via email-only intros with no phone number
• Follow up persistently on warm leads stuck in mid-funnel
• Prepare, send, and close engagement agreements through to payment
• Explain Trestle's services (trademarks, copyrights, contracts, IP strategy, disputes, outside general counsel) clearly — without giving legal advice

Outbound & Re-Engagement

• Run weekly GAS outreach with existing and former clients
• Reactivate cold lead lists and stalled email intros
• Identify additional service opportunities inside existing relationships

Pipeline & Systems

• Maintain the pipeline in LawRuler with detailed notes and follow-up flags
• Track engagements in Clio; keep internal sales spreadsheets current
• Surface conversion patterns and process improvements to leadership

What Success Looks Like

• 10+ consults per week
• 30 new matters per month signed and paid
• Lead-to-consult conversion lifted from ~52% to 70%+
• Pipeline is clean and current in LawRuler and Clio

Qualifications

Who You Are

Required:

• California resident
• 3+ years of consultative sales in professional, financial, or similar services
• Strong phone and written communication; comfortable asking for the business and handling objections
• CRM-fluent, organized, process-driven, and accountable to monthly numbers
• Self-starter who builds a day instead of waiting for one
• Preferred: legal, financial, or professional services background; familiarity with trademarks, copyrights, contracts, or business law; LawRuler or Clio experience; prior business development role with real outbound responsibility

You'll Thrive Here If You

Believe consultative sales is service, not pressure. Follow up without being asked. Treat the pipeline like your own venture. Want to help build a firm, not just run an intake desk.