Associate General Counsel, Global Alliances Legal

AbbVie; United States; Hybrid; USD 190,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision insurance

401(k)

Bonus eligibility

Job summary

AbbVie is seeking an Associate General Counsel, Global Alliances Legal, to support AbbVie's cross-border collaborations with China-based partners. You will translate legal complexity into strategic opportunities across the full lifecycle of R&D collaborations, from governance to dispute resolution and program development.

Work closely with Global Alliances, R&D, regulatory, IP, privacy, and other functions to bridge legal, policy, and operations, guiding decisions and enabling innovative

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to the bar in at least one U.S. state.
• Experience at an Am Law 100 firm or in-house at a major pharmaceutical, life-sciences, healthcare, or highly regulated global company.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant legal experience in life-sciences/pharma transactions, global collaborations, governance, and regulatory matters.

Responsibilities

• Advise senior leaders and business partners on complex legal and regulatory matters impacting collaboration strategy and enterprise objectives.
• Lead or co-lead legal strategies for key initiatives to align with portfolio objectives.
• Advise on U.S.-China regulatory frameworks affecting China collaborations and drug development.
• Develop or support training on the described frameworks as needed.
• Advise on alliance matters with China-based partners to ensure governance and value.
• Interpret and analyze complex strategic agreements and provide clear legal advice to business clients.
• Draft, review, and negotiate amendments and governance documents for post‑execution lifecycle of collaborations.
• Coordinate with Transactions Legal and business development on new collaborations and integration planning.

Skills

J.D. required

AmLaw 100 / in-house

Cross-border experience

Regulatory knowledge

Negotiation skills

Mandarin preferred

Scientific background

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

As Associate General Counsel, Global Alliances Legal, you will join a team of attorneys who support AbbVie’s global alliances organization. You will help shape AbbVie’s strategic collaborations with China-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners by translating legal complexity into strategic opportunity, providing practical, business-minded legal counsel across the full lifecycle of complex R&D collaborations, from alliance governance and contract interpretation to amendments, dispute resolution, partner engagement, and strategic program development.

You will work closely with Global Alliances, R&D, business development, regulatory, intellectual property, data privacy, operations, commercial, and other corporate functions, bridging the legal, policy, and operational worlds to advance AbbVie’s collaboration strategy, drive informed decision-making, and support the development of innovative medicines.

You will also serve as a trusted legal advisor on U.S.-China regulatory and health-authority matters affecting current and prospective collaborations and R&D strategies involving drug development in China, including China’s Human Genetic Resources (HGR) regulations, the U.S. BIOSECURE Act, DOJ Bulk Data Transfer rules, proposed outbound investment restrictions on biotechnology, and U.S. and China foreign investment frameworks. By balancing risk with innovation and building the readiness required to operate in an evolving global environment, this role suits a collaborative problem solver who works at the intersection of science, law, U.S.-China relations, and global partnership management, and who is motivated to make a meaningful impact on patients’ lives.

Responsibilities

• Advise senior leaders and business partners (including Global Alliances, R&D leadership, asset strategy teams, disease strategy teams, and other stakeholders) on complex legal and regulatory matters that impact collaboration strategy, policy, or enterprise objectives. Lead or co‑lead legal strategies for key initiatives to align with portfolio objectives and support collaborative decision‑making across the product lifecycle.
• Advise on and track U.S.-China legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks affecting pharmaceutical collaborations and drug development involving China, including China’s HGR regulations, the BIOSECURE Act, DOJ Bulk Data Transfer rules, proposed outbound investment restrictions on biotechnology, U.S. and China foreign investment frameworks, and related requirements. Interpret laws, policies, and enforcement trends to proactively identify risks and opportunities, and translate developments into actionable guidance for Global Alliances, R&D, regulatory, and other stakeholders.
• Develop or support training and guidance on the frameworks described above as needed.
• Advise on alliance and collaboration matters involving China‑based pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners, focusing on practical legal solutions that support effective governance, execution, and long‑term partnership value. Serve as a connector between Legal and cross‑functional groups to ensure alignment across commercial operations and international partnerships.
• Interpret and analyze complex strategic agreements (including licenses, collaborations, co‑development arrangements, and other alliances) and provide clear legal advice to business clients and leadership on issues arising from partnered R&D, manufacturing, supply, and commercialization activities.
• Draft, review, and negotiate amendments, governance documents, dispute resolutions, operational agreements, and other documents supporting the post‑execution lifecycle of strategic collaborations.
• Manage legal input for high‑impact business transactions by collaborating with the Transactions Legal team and business development to evaluate, structure, and negotiate new collaborations with China‑based counterparties, including deal structuring, due diligence, risk assessment, drafting, and integration planning.

This role requires in‑office presence at least three days per week at Abbott Park in North Chicago, IL, or at one of AbbVie’s offices in Waltham, MA, South San Francisco, CA, Rockville, MD, or Washington, DC.

• J.D. from an accredited law school and currently admitted to the bar in at least one U.S. state is required. Must hold an active license to practice law in the state where you will work.
• Experience at an Am Law 100 firm or in‑house at a major pharmaceutical, life‑sciences, healthcare, or highly regulated global industry company.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant legal experience in one or more of the following:
  • drafting, reviewing, and negotiating life‑sciences and pharmaceutical transactions, including licenses, collaborations, co‑development arrangements, and other complex R&D agreements;
  • advising business clients and senior management on complex global collaborations, alliance governance, contract interpretation, amendments, disputes, and partner management; and/or
  • advising business clients and senior management on pharmaceutical research, development, regulatory, manufacturing, supply, or commercialization matters.
• Experience with China‑based pharmaceutical or biotechnology collaborations, cross‑border life‑sciences transactions, or global alliance management strongly preferred. Demonstrated experience navigating complex legal and regulatory challenges across markets or functions is a plus.
• Substantive knowledge of U.S.-China regulatory frameworks affecting pharmaceutical collaborations and drug development involving China required, including the frameworks described in the Responsibilities section above.
• Mandarin Chinese proficiency preferred.
• Scientific background (undergraduate or graduate education in the sciences) or a demonstrated interest in learning the fundamentals of biology, chemistry, and drug development.
• Understanding of scientific, development, regulatory, operational, and commercial concepts in both early‑and‑late‑stage development programs.
• Ability to work autonomously, take initiative, collaborate across functions and geographies, and drive successful business outcomes. Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead through ambiguity.
• Advanced legal analysis, communication, judgment, and counseling skills, including the ability to identify and address critical legal and business issues promptly.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state orlocal law:

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Companybelieves ingood faith it will pay for this role at the timeof thisposting based on the job grade for this position.Individualcompensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location,andwemayultimatelypaymore or less than the posted range. This range may bemodifiedin thefuture.

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick),medical/dental/visioninsurance and 401(k) to eligibleemployees.

• This job is eligible toparticipatein our long‑term incentiveprograms.

Note: No amount of payis considered to bewages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, anddeterminable.The amount and availability of any bonus,commission,incentive, benefits, or any other form ofcompensation and benefitsthat are allocable to a particular employeeremainsin the Company's sole andabsolutediscretion unless anduntil paid andmay bemodifiedat the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent withapplicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

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https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html