Legal Counsel - Corporate Law

Role Summary

Legal Counsel - Corporate Law at Novo Nordisk US Affiliate, providing legal support, advice, and strategic counsel focused on corporate functions (e.g., Procurement; Real Estate; Digital, Data and IT; Finance and Tax) and complex, high-risk supplier contracting.

Responsibilities

• Provide Strategic Legal Counsel
  • Interpret complex internal and external business issues related to contracting and recommend best practices and solutions
  • Proactively conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify potential legal and operational risks within contractual agreements and develop mitigating actions to address them effectively
  • Collaborate with cross-functional legal teams to draft and propose clear, effective contract terms that address identified risks while ensuring compliance with organizational objectives
  • Provide legal advice and counsel to internal stakeholders and other attorneys on contract drafting, interpretation and dispute resolution
  • Keep informed of new laws, regulations, and industry trends affecting the company and the pharmaceutical industry
  • Perform job functions and duties independently and consistently with minimal oversight and guidance from the managing attorney
• Provide Legal Support and Counseling in Contracting Process
  • Review, draft, and negotiate a wide range of high-complexity, high-risk buy-side/supplier contracts, including master service agreements, technology/SaaS agreements, consulting agreements, statements of work (SOWs), and bespoke agreements supporting various company initiatives and functions such as Marketing, IT, Clinical, Research, Operations, Patient Support Programs, and Digital Health
  • Lead cross functional collaboration with internal colleagues, including those in Procurement, NNI Legal, and HQ, to facilitate and guide the development of and updating of contract templates, subject matter contracting playbooks, and new templates and resources as needed
  • Provide legal updates and education to Procurement and other stakeholders to enhance their understanding of legal and contracting matters
  • Support and assist in contract review overflow, special projects, or contracting for other complex business transactions, including real estate, business development, and corporate governance
  • Retain, manage, and assist outside counsel as required
  • Perform other duties as assigned by senior management
• Provide Corporate Law Legal Support
  • Provide legal support and counseling to corporate functions such as Tax, IT, and Finance, as directed by manager
  • Provide legal guidance on wide range of matters related to corporate functions, such as Real Estate, Tax, IT, and Finance, as directed by manager
  • Collaborate work with various stakeholders, including senior management, other functions, and external counsel
  • Stay updated on changes in laws and regulations and conduct research on legal issues, as needed
  • Retain, manage, and assist outside counsel as required
• Build and Maintain Strategic Relationships
  • Foster strong internal and external relationships to support business objectives
  • Share specialized knowledge and insights to enhance the team’s overall capabilities
  • Lead by example in demonstrating best practices and ethical standards in legal counsel
• Lead Process Optimization and Improvement
  • Lead and optimize Corporate Law and Legal contracting support processes, workflows, and documentation to ensure operational efficiency, accessibility for stakeholders, and consistent accuracy across all procedures
  • Lead cross functional collaboration to identify and implement Corporate Law and contract review process optimization solutions, enhance operational effectiveness and drive organizational goals
  • Utilize best practices and knowledge of internal/external business issues to improve Corporate Law and legal contracting processes and services

Qualifications

• General Qualifications
  • JD from an accredited university and state bar admission required
  • 4+ years of experience in a law firm or in-house legal department providing legal advice and counseling to internal/external stakeholders on drafting, negotiating, and managing buy-side/procurement contracts in the life sciences/pharmaceutical industry required
  • In-house legal experience providing counseling and guidance in the life sciences or pharmaceutical industry strongly preferred
  • Knowledge of laws and regulations governing the pharmaceutical industry, such as fraud and abuse, government contracting, privacy, advertising and promotion, and scientific exchange required
  • Demonstrated experience in areas of corporate law, including Real Estate, Tax, IT, and Finance
  • Experience working in a CLM system, such as Coupa, preferred
  • Proven track record as a strong team player with the ability to work cross-functionally in a complex organizational structure and in a matrix support model with shared responsibility
  • Demonstrates the ability to consistently work independently with minimal guidance while delivering high-quality outcomes
  • Ability to successfully manage a high-volume workload in a fast-paced environment while partnering to set appropriate business priorities with a wide range of stakeholders
  • The ability to analyze complex legal issues and provide sound advice
  • Ability to proactively make business-intelligent risk assessments of various contract types, proposals, and arrangements, taking into consideration potential legal risks applicable in the life sciences/pharmaceutical industry
  • Experience supporting contracting needs in a business-minded, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented manner
  • Acts as a resource and mentor for colleagues with less experience, providing guidance and expertise
  • Excellent research, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate and communicate with client groups within the company and at all levels of an organization