Senior Counsel

Accountabilities

• • Draft, review, and negotiate complex, business-critical commercial agreements, including MSAs, SOWs, supply agreements, development and manufacturing agreements, services agreements, quality agreements, and NDAs.
  • Advise senior management and business stakeholders on legal and regulatory risks affecting CDMO and life sciences operations, including GMP, pharmacovigilance interfaces, data privacy, competition, and related compliance considerations.
  • Develop practical risk-mitigation strategies and contractual language that protect legal rights while supporting commercial objectives and appropriate risk tolerance.
  • Serve as a principal legal advisor and thought leader, building relationships with key internal and external decision makers and representing the Legal function in executive forums when appropriate.
  • Monitor emerging legal and regulatory developments and translate them into long-term legal strategies, frameworks, policies, and approaches that support future products, services, and strategic objectives.
  • Partner with Commercial and Program teams on strategic, high-value collaborations, bids, and transactions, driving issue resolution and facilitating timely deal closure.
  • Independently manage a high-volume and complex caseload, prioritizing matters according to enterprise value, legal risk, and strategic importance.
  • Provide guidance on non-contentious intellectual property matters, including licensing frameworks, background and foreground IP, know-how, freedom-to-operate considerations, and IP allocation standards.
  • Design and deliver legal training, playbooks, and educational programs that strengthen commercial legal awareness and compliance across functions and regions.
  • Improve legal processes, templates, and contract lifecycle management practices to increase efficiency, consistency, quality, and turnaround times.
  • Manage external legal counsel across areas such as regulatory matters, disputes, employment, and real estate, ensuring quality, appropriate budgets, and timely delivery.
  • Support dispute avoidance and resolution, as well as corporate matters and transactions, while protecting the organization’s legal interests and reputation.
  • Contribute to policy development, compliance program implementation, and alignment across U.S., U.K., Danish, and global legal and compliance teams.

  Requirements

  • Bachelor’s or equivalent college degree and Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
  • Active admission and good standing in at least one U.S. state bar; North Carolina admission is preferred.
  • 8–12 years of relevant legal experience within a corporate law firm and/or in-house legal department, preferably within CDMO, life sciences, pharmaceutical, healthcare, or a closely related industry.
  • Extensive knowledge of commercial law, contracting principles, contracting practices, and legal design, with the judgment to resolve complex matters with limited information.
  • Demonstrated ability to serve as a senior-level legal advisor and influence strategic decisions across a complex organization.
  • Excellent negotiation, executive communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
  • Strong analytical, pragmatic, and customer-focused problem-solving abilities, with the ability to balance immediate business needs against long-term strategic objectives.
  • Experience working collaboratively in matrixed, international, and cross-functional environments.
  • Familiarity with life sciences compliance matters, including data privacy and GDPR, competition law, and anti-bribery requirements.
  • Understanding of international contracting practices and multi-jurisdictional legal and risk assessments.
  • Proficiency with modern legal technology, including document management, electronic signature solutions, contract lifecycle management platforms, and collaboration tools.
  • Strong business acumen, leadership, negotiation, follow-up, and organizational skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while maintaining strong attention to detail and stakeholder communication.
  • Ability to manage legal matters with commercial awareness, budget discipline, and a focus on practical outcomes.
  • Academic honors are preferred.

  Benefits

  • Salary: $170,000–$210,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.
  • Medical insurance.
  • Dental insurance.
  • Vision insurance.
  • Life insurance.
  • 401(k) retirement plan.
  • Paid time off.
  • Remote work opportunity within the United States.
  • Opportunity to work on complex, high-value legal matters within a global life sciences and CDMO environment.
  • Exposure to senior leadership, strategic transactions, international operations, and cross-functional business initiatives.
  • Opportunities to influence legal strategy, contracting standards, compliance culture, and process modernization.
  • Commitment to equal employment opportunity and an inclusive workplace.
  • Reasonable accommodations available throughout the hiring process for qualified individuals with disabilities.