Assistant General Counsel

23andMe, Inc.; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 450,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits (comprehensive)

Dental & vision plans

Family planning support

Mental healthcare

Student loan assistance

Dog-friendly office

Flexible time off

Job summary

23andMe is seeking an exceptional Associate General Counsel to lead the corporate transactions function and support key practice areas for a leader in human genetics.

Reporting to the General Counsel, you will partner with Corporate Development, Commercial, Research and other teams, structure and negotiate broad commercial agreements, advise on governance, regulatory, IP, privacy, and AI policy, while mentoring the team and elevating our Legal Ops with AI-powered workflows.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of corporate and transactional experience in law firms or in-house.
• Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements and data licenses.
• Familiarity with privacy laws, de-identification standards, and life sciences data.
• Experience advising on genetic testing regulation and FDA pathways is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic corporate transactions in partnership with Corporate Development.
• Structure, draft and negotiate commercial agreements including data licensing and collaborations.
• Advise on governance, regulatory, IP, employment, and AI policy issues.
• Review marketing materials for regulatory compliance and mitigate risk.
• Mentor team members and develop best practices for a scalable legal function.
• Strengthen Legal Ops using AI/automation and manage outside counsel.

Skills

Corporate transactions

Regulatory matters

AI policy

Mentoring

Legal ops

Stakeholder management

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) degree

Bar admission (state Bar)

Job description

• We’re looking for an exceptional lawyer to join 23andMe’s growing legal team as an Associate General Counsel
• You will own the corporate transactions function and support other key practice areas for a company operating at the frontier of human genetics
• Reporting directly to the General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer, you will work collaboratively with our Corporate Development, Commercial, Research, Philanthropy and other teams across the organization
• You will partner with the General Counsel to evolve our legal, compliance and contracting functions, mentor and develop colleagues and shape how the business engages with our legal team
• Lead strategic transactions in partnership with our Corporate Development, Research and Commercial teams
• Structure, draft and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including data licensing, research collaboration, channel partnership and grant agreements
• Advise on corporate governance, regulatory matters, IP, employment, and AI policy
• Assist in the review of marketing and promotional materials for regulatory compliance
• Demonstrate leadership by mentoring other team members, setting best practices, and contributing to the development of a collaborative, solutions‑oriented legal culture
• Strengthen our Legal Ops function, using AI and automation to streamline deal flow and establish scalable contracting standards
• Effectively manage outside counsel and other key external stakeholders

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, vision, and dental plans
• Family planning, support, and leave for parents
• Mental healthcare
• Student loan assistance
• Dog friendly office
• Flexible time off

The role requires sound judgment, executive presence, and the ability to pragmatically anticipate and mitigate risk, identify opportunities, and develop legal frameworks that support 23andMe’s vision, mission and growth

Proven ability to balance legal risk with business objectives in a fast-paced environment and communicate complex legal concepts clearly and effectively to non‑legal stakeholders

A strong generalist skillset with 8+ years of experience working on corporate and transactional matters in a leading law firm and/or in‑house environment

High integrity, forward-looking perspective, and a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach

Familiarity with AI-enabled legal tools and workflows

Familiarity with how life sciences and healthcare organizations use de-identified data and navigate privacy laws and de-identification standards

Significant experience structuring, drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, preferably in the data licensing or healthcare space

JD from an accredited law school and a member of at least one state Bar

Experience in genomics, biobanking, real-world data, or life sciences collaborations

Experience advising on genetic testing regulation, including FDA pathways for direct-to-consumer and clinical tests, CLIA certification, and state laboratory licensure

Nonprofit, academic medical center, or research institute experience