Corporate and Compliance Legal Counsel

We are excited to be working with a leading global pharmaceutical company based in Northern Ireland in their search for an ambitious Legal Counsel to join their highly impressive legal team. In your new role as Legal Counsel, you will advise and assist within the Corporate practice area, as part of the Corporate & Legal Affairs (“CLA”) team providing counsel on a wide range of corporate, commercial, risk and compliance matters for the Group and its global affiliates across multiple jurisdictions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Undertake general corporate/M&A work, including drafting, reviewing and negotiating a range of agreements (share and asset purchase agreements, joint venture agreements, licensing agreements and intercompany agreements).
• Undertake and co-ordinate due diligence activities in connection with new business opportunities, including analysis of large volumes of complex information, identifying key risk areas and preparing reports for senior management and the board of directors.
• Support company secretarial and corporate administration matters across the global portfolio of companies in the UK, Ireland, the US and APAC, including incorporation of new legal entities, completion of statutory filings, maintenance of corporate records and registers, and ensuring compliance and good corporate governance.
• Play an active role in the Group’s risk and compliance framework, with particular emphasis on trade compliance (including import/export controls, sanctions, and embargo regimes) and the assessment of legal and regulatory risk in cross-border transactions and supply chains.
• Support the development and maintenance of internal compliance policies and procedures, including global trade compliance, anti-bribery and corruption (ABC), competition/anti-trust, whistleblowing and ethical business practices.
• Support training initiatives and provide compliance guidance to the business.
• Assist with internal investigations, audits and regulatory enquiries as required.
• Draft, review and negotiate a range of intellectual property licences, data privacy agreements and commercial contracts (customer and supplier) on behalf of the Company Group and its global affiliates in accordance with agreed contracting parameters.
• Manage busy workload (including contract review, responding to central inbox queries and involvement in strategic projects) in accordance with agreed timelines and established department priorities.
• Identify and manage contractual risks and escalate matters to Legal Counsel, Corporate Counsel and VP level as appropriate.
• Assist with development and implementation of contract and document templates, playbooks and training materials for the wider team.
• Provide supervision and mentoring to Contracts Associates and Contracts Administrators.
• Advise the business on intellectual property, data privacy and governance and other general legal matters and compliance with applicable laws and support with the management of patent and trade mark portfolios, including liaising with external patent attorneys and trade mark agents.
• Support other CLA practice areas (including Corporate, Commercial and Property/Construction) as required from time to time.
• Carry out all tasks accurately and efficiently and respond to queries from internal and external stakeholders on legal and commercial matters in a timely manner and in accordance with departmental Key Performance Indicators.
• Provide support for business development activities and opportunities within the Group.
• Work with external legal counsel on outsourced matters, including agreeing fee estimates, monitoring work and communicating advice to internal staff.
• Provide regular updates to Legal Counsel, Corporate Counsel and VP level, as appropriate, on workload and work status. Escalate any issues or delays that arise to Legal Counsel, Corporate Counsel and VP level as appropriate in a timely manner.
• Undertake general commercial work, including drafting, reviewing and negotiating a wide variety of commercial contracts across multiple jurisdictions in accordance with agreed contracting parameters, including agreements for the supply and purchase of goods and services, distribution agreements and confidentiality agreements.
• Identify and manage legal, contractual and compliance risks and escalate matters to Legal Counsel, Corporate Counsel and VP of Legal, as appropriate.
• Assist with the development and implementation of contract and document templates, playbooks and training materials for the team.
• Provide supervision and mentoring to Contracts Associates and Contracts Administrators.
• Support other CLA practice areas (including Commercial, IP & Data and Property/Construction), as required from time to time.

You will be qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister in Northern Ireland with 3-6 years PQE, England and Wales or the Republic of Ireland. General corporate and/or risk & compliance experience gained in private practice and/or in-house is essential.

Strong technical general corporate and/or risk & compliance skills are required, along with experience advising on legal and compliance risk in a business-facing environment. You should have the ability to analyse complex legal issues, develop creative solutions and provide sound legal advice.

Sound business judgement and a commercial mindset are essential, as well as the ability to work with minimal supervision and escalate matters appropriately. Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office is also required.

An excellent salary and extensive package of benefits is on offer, including paid time-off for vacation and sick days, flexible schedules, professional development and growth opportunities, free onsite tea/coffee, financial planning resources, employee assistance programme, staff discounts, professional coaching, team bonding events, opportunities for advancement, attractive compensation package, annual bonus, work/life balance, wellness programs, lunch & learn, employee recognition, employee referral bonus, rewards for years of service, free onsite parking, death in service, group healthcare scheme, and pension scheme.