Executive Director, Head of Litigation
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
August 17, 2026
On-site
Cambridge, MA
$297,500 - $402,500 USD yearly
Corporate Functions
Responsibilities:
- Lead global strategy to manage and resolve litigation, pre-litigation disputes, and government/investigations (non-IP).
- Build a scalable litigation/dispute/investigation operating model (intake, triage, early assessment, escalation, reserves/insurance, settlement governance, reporting, playbooks).
- Advise Chief Legal Officer, Executive Leadership Team, and Board on material disputes/exposures, reserves, insurance, disclosure, and financial/operational/reputational impacts.
- Select/manage outside counsel, vendors, forensic experts; drive strategy, staffing, performance, budgets, and billing/alternative fee arrangements.
- Develop proportionate, business-informed litigation and investigation strategies aligned with public-company obligations.
- Oversee litigation holds, preservation, e-discovery, review/production, and records management; educate on privileged communications.
- Counsel/coordinate responses for subpoenas, CDIs, agency inquiries, whistleblower matters, and internal investigations.
- Manage antitrust/competition matters; lead cross-border, multi-jurisdictional disputes with local counsel.
- Continuously improve litigation operations using technology/analytics/AI tools; monitor industry/regulatory developments.
Qualifications:
- JD (ABA-accredited); admitted in good standing to at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
- ~15 years post-JD litigation/investigations experience (law firm leadership and/or significant in-house at a public company; ideally life sciences/healthcare).
- Deep experience across commercial/contract disputes, securities/shareholder, employment, product claims, investigations, enforcement, CDIs/subpoenas, whistleblower matters.
- Antitrust/competition exposure; experience advising on litigation disclosures, reserves, enterprise/reputational risk.
- Proven ability to build/modernize litigation processes and strong e-discovery/information governance knowledge.
- Familiarity with technology/analytics/AI-enabled legal tools.
- Strong leadership, executive presence, judgment, and communication.
Location: Cambridge, MA (onsite consistency required).
Pay/Benefits (explicit): $297,500–$402,500 base; eligible for annual short-term incentive and annual long-term incentive (equity). Medical/dental/vision, life/disability, 401(k) match, PTO, wellness days, holidays, recharge breaks, and family leave resources.
- Lead global strategy to manage and resolve litigation, pre-litigation disputes, and government/investigations (non-IP).
- Build a scalable litigation/dispute/investigation operating model (intake, triage, early assessment, escalation, reserves/insurance, settlement governance, reporting, playbooks).
- Advise Chief Legal Officer, Executive Leadership Team, and Board on material disputes/exposures, reserves, insurance, disclosure, and financial/operational/reputational impacts.
- Select/manage outside counsel, vendors, forensic experts; drive strategy, staffing, performance, budgets, and billing/alternative fee arrangements.
- Develop proportionate, business-informed litigation and investigation strategies aligned with public-company obligations.
- Oversee litigation holds, preservation, e-discovery, review/production, and records management; educate on privileged communications.
- Counsel/coordinate responses for subpoenas, CDIs, agency inquiries, whistleblower matters, and internal investigations.
- Manage antitrust/competition matters; lead cross-border, multi-jurisdictional disputes with local counsel.
- Continuously improve litigation operations using technology/analytics/AI tools; monitor industry/regulatory developments.
Qualifications:
- JD (ABA-accredited); admitted in good standing to at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
- ~15 years post-JD litigation/investigations experience (law firm leadership and/or significant in-house at a public company; ideally life sciences/healthcare).
- Deep experience across commercial/contract disputes, securities/shareholder, employment, product claims, investigations, enforcement, CDIs/subpoenas, whistleblower matters.
- Antitrust/competition exposure; experience advising on litigation disclosures, reserves, enterprise/reputational risk.
- Proven ability to build/modernize litigation processes and strong e-discovery/information governance knowledge.
- Familiarity with technology/analytics/AI-enabled legal tools.
- Strong leadership, executive presence, judgment, and communication.
Location: Cambridge, MA (onsite consistency required).
Pay/Benefits (explicit): $297,500–$402,500 base; eligible for annual short-term incentive and annual long-term incentive (equity). Medical/dental/vision, life/disability, 401(k) match, PTO, wellness days, holidays, recharge breaks, and family leave resources.