Senior Legal Counsel - Clinical Trials (Dual Qualified)

AmerisourceBergen; Woking; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global pharmaceutical services company seeks a Senior Legal Counsel to support its clinical trials team in the UK. The ideal candidate will have dual qualifications in the US and a European jurisdiction, with over 8 years of experience in drafting complex legal agreements. Strong negotiation and communication skills are essential. The role requires autonomy in providing legal advice while navigating commercial and regulatory challenges across international jurisdictions.

Qualifications

• 8+ years PQE with dual qualification in US and a European jurisdiction.
• Experience in drafting complex international legal agreements.
• Fluency in Spanish and English strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support and advice to the clinical trials team.
• Manage legal risk while supporting commercial success.
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Commercial legal knowledge

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Project management skills

Education

Law degree from a US jurisdiction and European jurisdiction

Job description

Job Details

Job Purpose: Senior Legal Counsel will sit within Cencora's International Business Group/Western Europe legal team and will be responsible for supporting and co-ordinating the legal affairs for the international clinical trials business team, providing high quality and commercially focused legal advice to support the needs of the business.

This role will suit a pragmatic lawyer who will thrive in a challenging, complex, busy and diverse role with high levels of responsibility within a fast-paced, market leading and entrepreneurial business.

Role Complexity

Managing legal risk across the full breadth of the international clinical trials business in a manner that supports and facilitates the continued commercial success of the business. Strong technical commercial legal knowledge is essential. The role holder will need experience of commercial contracts as well as a knowledge of data protection, IP, competition and general contract law across international jurisdictions including Spain, UK and US.

The role holder will need to be motivated to meet with stakeholders across the business to build their understanding of how the business works and to appreciate the role that the legal function can play in supporting business objectives; using his or her knowledge of the business and the law to advise on risk/reward trade-offs; seeing ahead clearly and identifying how to accomplish future goals; have knowledge of current and possible future laws, regulations, policies, practices and trends affecting the business; have an ability to navigate and work with internal stakeholders with a pragmatic approach.

Innovation and Creativity

The role holder will need to be creative in finding legal solutions to issues that arise. Demonstrable ability to understand a broad range of commercial legal issues; possess strong lateral and analytical thinking skills; have a successful track record of working effectively with senior management and a proven ability to understand and provide incisive and confidential counsel on complex business issues across international jurisdictions.

Autonomy and Independence

The role holder will report to the VP Associate General Counsel for Western Europe. The role holder should expect to quickly have a high level of autonomy and independence to negotiate contracts and give legal opinions on matters.

The role holder will be the ‘first port of call’ for legal enquiries from the clinical trial business which operates across Europe and the US and will work to build up a good relationship with the clinical trials management team as the principal legal adviser to that business unit.

Financial Accountability

Management of external counsel spend. No other finance accountability.

Informing and Advising Others

The role holder will need to communicate, direct and influence all levels of the business, including members of the clinical trial senior management team. They will need an ability to influence major decisions having legal ramifications through reasoned analysis and business understanding; and a willingness to make hard decisions on legal advice and strategic business initiatives.

An approachable, down to earth, straightforward, resilient and persuasive personality with strong negotiation, communication and influencing skills and a constructive, commercial and imaginative approach to problem solving.

Principle Accountabilities

• Providing legal support and advice to the clinical trials team.
• Managing legal risk across the breadth of the business in a manner that supports and facilities the continued commercial success of the business.
• Ensuring compliance with any current and future legal and regulatory requirements and providing training to non-legal colleagues where appropriate.
• Working effectively with other members of the Legal team and with members of the applicable commercial teams. Utilising project management and organisation skills to prioritise and complete the allocated tasks within the agreed timeframe.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

• Lawyer with dual qualification admitted in US and a European jurisdiction ideally Spain or England and Wales with at least 8 years PQE. Experience of drafting complex international European and US legal agreements essential.
• Strong academic credentials. Some in-house experience is highly desirable. Some understanding of the pharmaceutical or distribution sector is desirable but not essential.
• Strong and broad technical legal knowledge and excellent drafting, negotiation and communication skills are essential.
• Experience in broad commercial, rather than narrow, functional roles.
• Experience in a fast-paced, commercial environment.
• Ability to deal with and manage a heavy workload and competing priorities.
• Ability to work in multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional teams. Confident and comfortable in working with a wide range of different types of clients, both in terms of seniority and legal/contractual knowledge. Ability to explain complex legal issues in a simple way.
• International in outlook and able to work easily with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Strong commercial acumen and a business-focussed approach in providing legal support.
• Language skills - full professional fluency in Spanish and English strongly preferred.

Travel

Travel required from time to time between Spain and Europe (UK).

What Cencora offers

Benefit offerings outside the US may vary by country and will be aligned to local market practice. The eligibility and effective date may differ for some benefits and for team members covered under collective bargaining agreements.

Full time

Affiliated Companies Affiliated Companies: Alliance Healthcare Management Services Limited

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law.

The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non-discriminatory.

Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements. If you wish to request an accommodation while seeking employment, please call 888.692.2272 or email [e-mail]. We will make accommodation determinations on a request-by-request basis. Messages and emails regarding anything other than accommodations requests will not be returned