Senior Associate General Counsel - Research

Senior Associate General Counsel – Research & Academic Medicine

Brown University

Job Description

Position Overview:

The Senior Associate General Counsel for Research & Academic Medicine serves as the primary in‑house legal partner to Brown University's research enterprise and the University's affiliations with academic medical institutions. This is a specialized role for an attorney with deep expertise in federal research compliance, sponsored programs, and the legal and regulatory frameworks unique to R1 research universities and academic medical centers. At the same time, the Senior Associate General Counsel will be expected to function as a member of a highly collaborative and collegial in‑house team and to address other legal issues prompted by the research enterprise.

The position carries a sophisticated, high‑stakes practice spanning federal grant law, technology transfer, academic medicine affiliations, and intellectual property – with significant exposure to federal agencies, health system partners, and a broad range of academic stakeholders. Depending on experience, this role may be structured at the Associate General Counsel level.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Research Enterprise Counsel

Serve as primary legal advisor to Brown's Division of Research, with particular focus on the legal and compliance dimensions of sponsored research, both federally and non‑federally funded. Client groups also include The Warren Alpert Medical School, the School of Public Health, the School of Engineering, University Compliance, and Strategic Procurement and Contracts.

• Advise on the full lifecycle of federal and private grants and contracts, including award terms, sub‑awards, cost‑sharing arrangements, effort reporting, and close‑out obligations. Assist with the implementation and receipt of non‑federal sponsorship and funding arrangements, including industry‑sponsored research, foundation grants, and philanthropic support for research programs.
• Counsel on federal research compliance requirements including those of NIH, NSF, DOD, DOE, and other major grant‑making agencies – including human subjects protections, animal welfare, export controls, and research security (including NSPM‑33 requirements).
• Advise on federal reporting and disclosure obligations, including Section 117 of the Higher Education Act (foreign gift and contract reporting), CHIPS Act research security requirements, and related compliance frameworks.
• Counsel on data privacy and protection requirements affecting research activities, including HIPAA, GDPR, state privacy laws, and their intersection with human subjects research, clinical trials, and data‑sharing arrangements.
• Advise on research security matters, including development and implementation of institutional research security policies, foreign influence risk assessments, and compliance with federal research security directives.
• Represent the University in responding to federal agency audits, subpoenas, investigations, and enforcement actions related to sponsored programs.
• Advise on research misconduct proceedings under federal regulations and University policy.
• Advise the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and other research oversight committees on regulatory compliance and institutional policy matters.
• Advise on research‑related contracts, including sponsored research agreements, clinical trial agreements, data use agreements, material transfer agreements, and collaboration agreements with domestic and international partners.

2. Academic Medicine & Health System Affiliations

Serve as primary University counsel for Brown's relationships with its affiliated health systems – Care New England and Brown University Health – and related hospitals and physician organizations.

• Negotiate and advise on affiliation agreements, under‑graduate medical education (UME) and graduate medical education (GME) affiliation agreements, and clinical training agreements governing the participation of students, residents, and fellows across affiliated institutions.
• Advise on legal strategies for addressing misconduct, conflict, or performance issues involving faculty who are employed by affiliated health systems but hold academic appointments or UME teaching roles at the University.
• Serve as a legal partner to the Medical School leadership in ensuring that clinical teaching sites maintained by health systems or affiliated physician practices meet LCME standards, including requirements for a safe and non‑discriminatory learning environment.
• Serve as lead University counsel for the Brown Innovation and Research Collaborative for Health (BIRCH).
• Advise on trademark licensing and brand use issues, including those arising from health system partnerships.
• Advise on the legal and regulatory aspects of the UME learning environment, including investigating and resolving reports of student mistreatment or faculty misconduct occurring within affiliated clinical sites.

3. Intellectual Property

Serve as lead in‑house counsel for all intellectual property matters at or involving the University.

• Advise Brown Technology Innovations on invention disclosure, patent prosecution strategy, licensing negotiations, and startup formation arising from faculty research.
• Counsel the Library, Office of University Communications, Athletics, the Brown Bookstore, individual schools, and other offices and academic units on copyright, trademark, and licensing matters.
• Advise on IP ownership and licensing issues that arise at the intersection of federal funding and commercialization, including Bayh‑Dole Act compliance.

4. Additional Legal and Policy Matters

Advise on other legal and policy matters, as needed and as assigned. Participate with other OGC attorneys in office‑wide initiatives, including preventative‑law policy development and training, response to government enforcement action, and compliance projects.

Required Qualifications

• J.D. from an ABA‑accredited law school; B.A./B.S. required.
• Minimum 10 years of legal practice, with substantial and demonstrated expertise in two or more of the following: federal sponsored research and grants law, research compliance (NIH, NSF, DOD/DARPA, or similar agencies), government contracts, technology transfer and university IP, academic medicine affiliations, or higher education regulatory compliance. Relevant judicial clerkship or government service (e.g., OIG, NIH OGC, NSF OIG) may be considered.
• Active bar membership in good standing; Rhode Island bar admission required or must be obtained within one year of hire.
• Prior experience working in or as outside counsel to a research university, academic medical center, teaching hospital, or federal research agency strongly preferred.
• Experience advising on or responding to federal agency audits, subpoenas, or investigations in a research context.
• Familiarity with data privacy regimes affecting research, including HIPAA, GDPR, and state privacy laws, and their application to human subjects research, clinical data, and cross‑border data transfers.
• Demonstrated understanding of the governance dynamics of a complex private research university, including the relationship between academic freedom, faculty governance, and institutional legal compliance.
• Excellent judgment in balancing legal risk, institutional policy, and research mission imperatives.
• Strong organizational skills; ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously with competing priorities.
• Demonstrated discretion, collaborative approach, and mature judgment in a high‑stakes institutional environment.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills for audiences ranging from researchers and clinicians to senior administrators and external agencies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with the legal and regulatory landscape of higher education or academic medicine.
• Experience advising research oversight committees (e.g., IRBs, IACUCs) on regulatory and policy matters.
• Experience with federal awards (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoD), as well as non‑federal sponsored research and industry partnerships (e.g., industry‑sponsored agreements, foundation funding, philanthropic support).
• Experience with technology transfer and IP commercialization (e.g., Bayh‑Dole compliance, startup formation).
• Familiarity with research security and export control requirements (e.g., NSPM‑33, foreign talent program restrictions).
• Experience supporting and/or working with outside counsel on complex, multi‑party investigations and related matters.

Hybrid Position

Onsite attendance in Providence, RI required at least three days per week.

Salary Range

Grade 13 position. Salary range: $218,000.00 – $240,000.00, commensurate with relevant experience.

Benefits

Brown offers competitive benefits including health, dental, vision, retirement, and professional development opportunities.

EEO Statement

Brown University provides equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation based upon a person's race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law, in the administration of its policies, programs, and activities. The University recognizes and rewards individuals on the basis of qualifications and performance. The University maintains certain affirmative action programs in compliance with applicable law.

Brown is an E‑Verify Employer.