Senior Counsel

Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

As Senior Counsel, Global Alliances Legal , you will join a team of attorneys supporting AbbVie’s Global Alliances organization. You will shape and manage AbbVie’s most strategic external collaborations—from discovery through commercialization—focusing on partnerships arising in Aesthetics, Toxins and Eye Care . This role demands strong leadership and strategic thinking. You will work cross-functionally with research and development, corporate strategy, business development, commercial teams, and other corporate functions, including intellectual property, litigation, corporate governance, investor relations, and public affairs. When needed, you will negotiate amendments or restructurings of existing alliances to ensure long-term value and performance. You will also support due diligence and business development by assessing, structuring, and negotiating new partnership opportunities that strengthen AbbVie’s global pipeline and enterprise strategy. This role suits a problem solver who thrives at the intersection of science, law, business, and collaboration—and who is motivated to make a remarkable impact on patients’ lives worldwide.

Responsibilities:

• Partner with Global Alliances, asset strategy teams, disease strategy teams, and R&D leadership across AbbVie’s key therapeutic areas to align legal strategy with portfolio objectives and advance collaborative decision-making throughout the product life cycle.
• Advise the Global Alliances’ Aesthetics, Toxins and Eye Care teams on alliance, partnership, and collaboration matters across the pharmaceutical and device life cycle.
• Interpret and analyze complex strategic agreements, including licenses, collaborations, and other alliances, and communicate clear legal advice to our business and leadership on issues arising from the research, development, and commercialization of partnered pharmaceutical and aesthetic products.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of agreements, including licenses, collaboration agreements, co-development and co-promotion agreements, and other complex R&D agreements with collaboration and research partners.
• Collaborate with the Transactions Legal team to evaluate, structure, and negotiate new Aesthetics, Toxins and Eye Care collaborations. Support due diligence and integration planning to ensure strategic fit and executional readiness.
• Advise clients and legal leadership clearly to maximize our pipeline's potential.
• Serve as a go-to resource for senior management, business stakeholders, and fellow attorneys on innovative approaches in complex areas of law, business, and technology.

To enable success, this role must be in the office at least 3 days per week at either Abbott Park in North Chicago, IL or either of AbbVie’s campuses in Irvine, CA or South San Francisco, CA.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree required and must meet the professional licensing requirements of the state in which you practice.
• Large firm experience at Am Law 100 firm or in-house big Pharma/Life Sciences experience, preferably at a pharmaceutical company.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in one or more of the following:
  • drafting, reviewing, and negotiating life science/pharma transactions, specifically global collaborations,
  • advising business clients and senior management on ongoing complex global collaborations, and/or
  • advising business clients and senior management on the research and development of pharmaceuticals and/or aesthetics products.
• Scientific background (undergraduate or graduate education in the sciences) preferred or a strong interest in learning the basics of biology and chemistry.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of scientific, development, regulatory and commercial concepts in both early and late-stage development programs.
• Proven ability in working autonomously, taking initiative, and is driven by successful business outcomes.
• Demonstrates advanced legal-analysis and communication skills.
• Proven ability in making sound business judgment, and the ability to identify and quickly address critical legal and business issues.

Why AbbVie?

This is a rare opportunity to shape cutting-edge areas of biopharmaceutical innovation at AbbVie. You will work alongside visionary leaders, cutting-edge science, and trusted partners worldwide—bringing ideas to life and delivering meaningful impact for patients. Join a high-profile team that thrives on collaboration, strategy, and results. Help define the future of Global Alliances at AbbVie.

Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefit that are allocable to a particular employer remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

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