General Counsel

About Slate

Slate Medicines is a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to advancing innovative new therapies that may broaden the treatment paradigm and potentially improve outcomes for people with migraine and other headache disorders. Slate is advancing a portfolio of potentially best-in-class therapeutics, led by SLTE-1009, a clinical-stage anti-PACAP/VIP monoclonal antibody designed to enable subcutaneous, infrequent dosing.

We're looking for a General Counsel to lead Slate Medicines’ legal function and play a critical role in guiding the company through its transition to a public company.

About the Role

As the company’s senior legal advisor and a member of the leadership team, the General Counsel will provide strategic and practical counsel across the full range of legal and corporate matters, from day-to-day clinical and commercial contracts and employment matters to corporate governance, strategic transactions, compliance with SEC regulations, and operating as a public company. The General Counsel will partner closely with the CEO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors to establish a strong legal and governance infrastructure, manage outside counsel, identify and mitigate legal and business risks, and ensure the company is prepared to meet the requirements of operating as a public company. This is a highly hands-on role suited for a business-minded attorney who can serve as a trusted partner to leadership as Slate Medicines continues to scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as chief legal advisor to the CEO, executive team, and Board on legal, governance, and compliance matters, and advise the Board and its committees on their duties and public company best practices
• Draft, review, and negotiate core agreements, including clinical trial, CRO and site, CDMO and supply, consulting, NDAs, and vendor contracts
• Lead due diligence and lead processes on licensing, collaboration, and partnering deals, financings, M&A, and other strategic transactions, including IP diligence
• Build and own public company infrastructure, including compliance with SEC regulations (including Form 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, proxy statements, insider trading policy, Reg FD, and Section 16 reporting), exchange listing requirements, and partnering with the CFO on related SEC reporting requirements and SOX certifications
• Advise on the legal side of clinical trials, including informed consent, trial registration, and data privacy (HIPAA, and GDPR where it applies), and partner with clinical and regulatory teams on FDA interactions
• Serve as Chief Compliance Officer, building a compliance program that fits the company’s stage and covers anti-kickback, HCP interactions, and transparency reporting
• Oversee patent strategy with outside patent counsel, covering filings, prosecution, and freedom-to-operate, and protect trade secrets

Experience

Required

• JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing
• 12+ years of legal experience, including time at a top-tier law firm and in-house at a life sciences company
• Hands-on public company experience, including SEC reporting and board governance
• Strong track record negotiating clinical and commercial agreements (CTAs, CRO, CDMO, licensing), plus working knowledge of FDA regulation and healthcare compliance
• Sound judgment, clear and practical advice for non-lawyers, and comfort working as a team of one, from strategy to redlines

Preferred

• Prior General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel role at a clinical-stage biotech
• Experience taking a company public, or leading legal through a reverse merger or follow-on offering
• Background in pharma licensing and partnering deals, and in IP and patent portfolio strategy
• Experience building a legal function, including hiring, budgets, and outside counsel management