Associate Director, Clinical Contracts Counsel

Ladders; United States; Remote; USD 205,000 - 226,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401k match

Paid time off

Commuter benefits

Cell phone stipend

Job summary

Ladders is seeking an Associate Director, Clinical Contracts Counsel to join a leader in Pharmaceuticals & Biotech. The role focuses on advising on clinical contracting matters that support drug development and research operations in a highly regulated environment.

Remote–US based candidates only; you will partner closely with internal business, clinical, and operational stakeholders to draft and negotiate agreements while balancing legal risk and business objectives.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school with active bar membership in at least one U.S. state.
• Washington State bar membership preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of combined law firm and/or in-house legal experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or life sciences.
• At least 2 years of direct experience as a contracts attorney focused on clinical trial agreements.
• Strong understanding of contract law and U.S. and ex-U.S. clinical study frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and thrive in a fast-paced biotechnology environment.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of clinical and operational agreements
• Develop clear and risk-balanced contract terms aligned with business objectives
• Review contracts to identify legal risks and compliance considerations
• Provide practical legal advice on contract-related matters to internal stakeholders
• Monitor contractual obligations to ensure compliance with terms and conditions
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance contract compliance processes
• Assist with internal audits and continuous improvement of contracting practices

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Associate Director, Clinical Contracts Counsel to join the team of a leader in the Pharmaceuticals & Biotech space.

This role will focus on advising on clinical contracting matters that support drug development and research operations in a highly regulated environment. You will partner closely with internal business, clinical, and operational stakeholders to draft and negotiate agreements while balancing legal risk and business objectives. The position also plays an important role in strengthening contract compliance and improving contracting practices across the organization.

Location: Remote - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $205,000 – $226,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of clinical and operational agreements
• Develop clear and risk-balanced contract terms aligned with business objectives
• Review contracts to identify legal risks and compliance considerations
• Provide practical legal advice on contract-related matters to internal stakeholders
• Monitor contractual obligations to ensure compliance with terms and conditions
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance contract compliance processes
• Assist with internal audits and continuous improvement of contracting practices

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar; Washington State bar membership preferred
• Minimum of 5 years of combined law firm and/or in-house legal experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or life sciences
• At least 2 years of direct experience as a contracts attorney focused on clinical trial agreements
• Strong understanding of contract law and U.S. and ex-U.S. clinical study frameworks
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and thrive in a fast-paced biotechnology environment

Benefits

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans
• 401k plan with a 100% match up to the first 4% deferral
• Generous paid time off policy
• Employee commuter benefits
• Cell phone stipend

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.