Counsel, R&D and Global Medical

About the role

ViiV Healthcare, the only company solely focused on HIV, is looking for a Counsel, R&D and Global Medical. The role sits within ViiV Legal and supports the R&D and Global Medical organizations in clinical development, medical affairs, evidence generation, research collaborations and portfolio activities. It is based in Durham, NC and may be eligible for a domestic relocation package.

Key responsibilities

• Work with business colleagues on R&D, Global Medical, clinical development, privacy, intellectual property, compliance and contracting to deliver integrated legal support.
• Draft, negotiate and review R&D and Global Medical agreements, including clinical study, investigator-sponsored research, academic collaboration, consortium, data-sharing, sample-use, advisory, service and external engagement arrangements.
• Coordinate with Global Intellectual Property, Digital Privacy and Cybersecurity, Regulatory, Compliance and the Legal Contracting Network to give timely, practical legal advice.
• Identify and communicate legal and business risks from clinical development, medical affairs, evidence generation, data use and collaborations, and advise on mitigation, governance and escalation.
• Advise on governance and risk issues for clinical studies, real-world evidence, medical activities, data use, human biological samples and scientific collaborations.
• Support the review and interpretation of pending legislation, regulations, guidance or policy affecting R&D and Global Medical.
• As needed, support legal work on clinical development, registration, post-approval evidence generation and lifecycle activities for medicines or pipeline assets.

Required profile

• Qualified lawyer authorized to practice in the US.
• 3+ years of relevant private practice and/or in-house legal experience, including life sciences, pharmaceutical, healthcare, corporate, transactional, litigation, regulatory or other complex legal analysis, risk assessment, contracting, governance or client counseling.
• Experience advising on contracting, privacy, data governance, clinical studies, medical affairs, research collaborations, human biological samples, publications or external scientific engagements.
• Preferred: experience with cross-functional R&D, clinical development, medical affairs, regulatory, compliance or commercial teams in life sciences or healthcare; familiarity with digital health, AI, real-world evidence or data analytics; experience coordinating with subject-matter experts.

Required skills

• Working knowledge of intellectual property issues relevant to research collaborations, clinical studies, data, samples, publications and external engagements.
• Strong written and verbal communication in English, able to explain legal issues to non-lawyers.
• Ability to give clear, practical legal advice under tight timelines and changing priorities, with appropriate escalation of complex or high-risk issues.
• Collaborative in a matrixed environment, building trusted relationships with legal and business colleagues.