Associate General Counsel

About the role

Become an integral part of a groundbreaking team as the inaugural legal counsel for a newly established life sciences division. In this pivotal position, you will provide guidance to product, engineering, and strategic teams, ensuring that legal and compliance considerations are seamlessly integrated into the product development process. This opportunity allows you to influence and establish the legal framework for an innovative line of products that aim to transform the life sciences landscape.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Serve as the primary legal advisor for product initiatives, working closely with the founding members of the life sciences team throughout the product lifecycle, from conception to launch.
• Facilitate market entry strategies by drafting, negotiating, and advising on various agreements and contracts.
• Develop and implement the foundational legal strategy and guidelines for Abridge's Life Sciences division.
• Provide actionable legal insights on regulatory, privacy, and compliance issues, including but not limited to HIPAA, CCPA/CPRA, and regulations surrounding AI and machine learning.
• Offer guidance on healthcare regulatory compliance, addressing requirements from the FDA, FTC, and laws related to fraud and abuse, including the FCA and AKS, as well as their state counterparts.
• Collaborate with diverse internal teams such as policy, partner experience, marketing, IT, finance, corporate development, and commercial to ensure cohesive alignment and effective risk management.
• Support privacy impact assessments, compliance risk evaluations, and data governance initiatives to safeguard sensitive information.
• Liaise with external legal counsel for specialized matters, ensuring timely and accurate legal advice is obtained.
• Stay abreast of new regulations affecting AI, data utilization, and healthcare technology, and communicate their implications to internal stakeholders effectively.

Requirements

• A minimum of 10 years of legal experience, with at least 2 years focused specifically on life sciences.
• In-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical and biotechnology products and solutions.
• Ability to articulate complex regulatory and legal concepts in a clear and understandable manner to non-legal team members.
• Proven capability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while adhering to tight deadlines and navigating competing priorities.
• Demonstrated independence in decision-making and the ability to exercise sound business judgment.
• Experience collaborating across various functions, particularly with technical, design, and commercial teams.
• A creative mindset for addressing unique legal challenges, with a track record of developing new processes and language in a rapidly evolving industry.
• Familiarity with contemporary trends in artificial intelligence, including large language models and principles of responsible AI.

Nice to have

• Experience in a startup environment, particularly within the life sciences sector.
• Previous involvement in negotiating complex agreements with healthcare providers or technology partners.
• Knowledge of international regulations impacting life sciences and healthcare technology.
• Familiarity with data privacy laws beyond HIPAA and CCPA, such as GDPR.
• Experience with compliance training and education initiatives for internal stakeholders.

Skills & tools

• Proficient in legal research and analysis tools, contract management software, and compliance tracking systems.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with an emphasis on clarity and persuasion.
• Ability to utilize project management tools to track progress and manage deadlines effectively.
• Familiarity with AI and data analytics tools relevant to the life sciences industry.

Practical notes

This position offers a hybrid work model for candidates based in New York or San Francisco, requiring in-office attendance three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The benefits package includes 14 paid holidays, flexible paid time off, comprehensive health insurance plans (medical, dental, vision), generous contributions to health savings accounts, paid parental leave, family formation benefits, 401(k) matching, a personal device allowance, pre-tax benefits (such as flexible spending accounts and commuter benefits), a lifestyle wallet, mental health support, and the opportunity for sabbatical leave after five years of service.