Senior Counsel - Legal Development

Lakefront Biotherapeutics is a global biotech with offices in Belgium, Chicago and San Francisco, focused on building a differentiated immunology and inflammation pipeline to address serious diseases with high unmet medical need. Our pipeline is anchored by T‑cell engager programs, led by a potential first‑in‑class clinical asset and complemented by an exciting preclinical portfolio in autoimmune disease.

Our lead asset is being developed for severe immune‑mediated diseases, while additional preclinical programs expand the long‑term potential of our R&D pipeline. At Lakefront, we focus on advancing programs with strong biological rationale, clear clinical proof of concept and large commercial opportunities.

We are building a company where science, execution, and accountability matter. Rather than layers of hierarchy, we operate with small, empowered teams that work hands‑on across development stages to move programs forward efficiently and thoughtfully.

If you are driven to improve the lives of patients, energized by execution, and excited to help build a growing company with a strong balance sheet, we look forward to meeting you.

We are seeking a Senior Counsel, Clinical/R&D Legal to join our legal team. This is an opportunity to take ownership of core legal support for our evolving clinical operations, manufacturing, research and development teams, and regulatory affairs team, while developing into a broader strategic advisor across the business. The position offers significant autonomy and direct partnership with senior stakeholders. Over time, the successful candidate will have meaningful opportunities to expand into additional areas, including strategic licensing and business development transactions, healthcare compliance, privacy, pre-commercial planning, legal operations and AI‑enabled legal tools, and other corporate and operational matters.

This is a hands‑on role for a lawyer who wants direct access to senior stakeholders, meaningful autonomy, and the ability to grow with the company as Lakefront continues to build its pipeline, capabilities, and operating model. You will have opportunities to learn from experienced colleagues, contribute to strategic projects, and progressively broaden your responsibilities as the company grows.

Lead the drafting, negotiation, and management of a broad range of clinical development, research, manufacturing, and vendor agreements, including clinical trial agreements (CTAs), investigator and site agreements, MSAs, SOWs, CRO agreements, laboratory services agreements, CMO agreements, and other strategic vendor arrangements.

Serve as a trusted legal partner to clinical, research, manufacturing, regulatory, pharmacovigilance, quality, data management, and project management teams by providing practical, risk‑based legal advice on day‑to‑day operational matters.

Support regulatory affairs team with legal issues arising from their interaction and coordination with regulatory authorities, including the FDA, EMA, and other global health authorities.

Advise on legal and compliance issues related to clinical development, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, healthcare compliance, interactions with healthcare professionals and patient advocacy organizations, privacy, and pre‑commercial activities.

Collaborate with Privacy, Information Security, Clinical Operations, and HR to address cross functional compliance issues, such those under HIPAA and GDPR

Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments affecting the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries and provide timely guidance to stakeholders on emerging risks and opportunities.

Growth and Expansion Opportunities

In addition to the role’s core Clinical/R&D responsibilities, this position is designed to provide exposure to broader legal and business issues over time, including:

Strategic licensing, business development, supply, services, consulting, confidentiality, and other commercial agreements.

Contract lifecycle management initiatives and AI‑enabled legal technologies, including stakeholder training, governance, policy development, implementation, and ongoing optimization.

Provide broad‑based cross‑functional legal support across the organization consistent with the needs of a lean, high‑performing legal team, including employment matters (in coordination with HR and outside counsel), litigation management, intellectual property coordination, public affairs and communications review, vendor and technology contracting, policy development, and training.

Opportunities to help build scalable legal processes, templates, playbooks, and practical ways of working.

In‑house experience preferred

• A practical, business‑oriented approach and the ability to provide clear, risk‑based legal advice
• Experience scaling legal processes (AI legal operations, templates, playbooks, contracting management process).

In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Lakefront Biotherapeutics’ performance bonus plan. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support important moments in life.

You will join a highly motivated and supportive team working together to advance our pipeline and strengthen how we operate. Our hiring decisions are based on merit, considering qualifications, skills, performance, and achievements. We strictly prohibit discrimination against any employee or job applicant based on personal characteristics that are unrelated to their job.

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