2026 1L Summer Associate

AbbVie•North Chicago, IL

About The Position

2026 Overview Summer associates will be immersed in AbbVie's in-house legal and compliance teams, learning about and handling real-world matters under the supervision of AbbVie attorneys and compliance officers. Summer associates will work with one of the following departments within the in-house legal or compliance team for the duration of the summer internship: Patent Legal Academy Work on a wide variety of patent prosecution and IP (patent, trade secret) litigation-related tasks, which may include drafting materials for U.S. and foreign patent prosecution, listing patents in the FDA's Orange Book, analyzing freedom-to-operate issues, addressing contractual issues, evaluating issues related to biopharmaceutical patent and trade secret litigation, and participating in strategy meetings with in-house and outside prosecution and litigation counsel.Clinical R D Legal Academy Work on a wide range of clinical-trial related legal and regulatory matters in support of AbbVie's therapeutic pipeline. Provides support for AbbVie's global clinical research-based pharmaceutical business, including: clinical trial design; executing transactions required to get a clinical trial up and running, conducting legal analysis relating to patient-related matters such as informed consent, recruitment and retention strategies, and integration of novel technologies into AbbVie's clinical trials; and providing global regulatory advice relating to AbbVie's pipeline programs.Corporate Legal Work in key corporate legal areas such as corporate financing, securities compliance and disclosure, compensation and benefits, and corporate governance.Strategic Transactions Academy Substantive legal work related to acquisition transactions as well as new and existing collaborations; assessing antitrust risks associated with mergers, acquisitions, and licensing transactions; and venture capital transactions.Global Commercial Legal Academy Support various pharmaceutical and aesthetics brands by partnering with attorneys to deliver comprehensive legal and strategic guidance to Marketing, Sales, Medical Affairs, and Regulatory Affairs teams. Advise on a broad range of matters involving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Office of Inspector General (OIG), and other applicable laws, regulations, and industry guidance relevant to our business.Operations, Privacy, and Technology Academy Support the Operations function, which is responsible for AbbVie's product manufacturing, procurement of goods and services, quality assurance, supply chain, and various aspects of product development; support the Legal Privacy team; and work on various Legal Technology projects, including those related to AI and the use of data across the enterprise.Litigation/Employment/Compliance Academy Work alongside attorneys across AbbVie's Commercial Litigation, Employment, Labor & Immigration, and Legal Compliance teams. Opportunity to work across a broad array of litigation and counseling matters, including areas such as product liability, antitrust, contractual disputes, visa and other immigration issues, and compliance with relevant laws including the Anti-Kickback Statute, Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and many others.Office of Ethics and Compliance AcademyGain hands-on experience by supporting the Compliance team in activities such as conducting policy assessments, developing and supporting training initiatives, monitoring business practices and participating in investigations to help promote compliant conduct under healthcare and pharmaceutical industry codes, laws, and regulations. This role will also involve cross-functional collaboration with teams in Operations, Commercial Brands, R D, Privacy and International. All summer associates will research and present on a legal or compliance issue related to their work and will have the opportunity to meet and work with AbbVie's in-house and outside counsel and compliance professionals, including partnering closely with both a manager and mentor who will both provide ongoing guidance and professional development. By the end of the summer, AbbVie 1L Summer Associates should have attained: practical experience working for a global biopharmaceutical company in an interesting and evolving area of law, an understanding of how in-house attorneys and compliance officers provide value to their company as trusted advisors to the business, leadership opportunities and experience building business relationships effectively, and meaningful writing and communication development.

Requirements

Students must complete their 1L year at an ABA-accredited law school during 2025-2026
Must be enrolled in law school the semester following your internship
Strong undergraduate academic background, including in relevant disciplines
Statement regarding how this internship will be career transformative and enable you to be a leader within the legal profession or greater community
Bachelor's or graduate degree in a scientific or engineering discipline required for Patent Legal Academy, recommended for Clinical R D Legal Academy
Ability to perform complex legal research and analysis
Excellent communication, leadership, and project management skills

Responsibilities

Summer associates will be immersed in AbbVie's in-house legal and compliance teams, learning about and handling real-world matters under the supervision of AbbVie attorneys and compliance officers.
Summer associates will work with one of the following departments within the in-house legal or compliance team for the duration of the summer internship: Patent Legal Academy, Clinical R D Legal Academy, Corporate Legal, Strategic Transactions Academy, Global Commercial Legal Academy, Operations, Privacy, and Technology Academy, Litigation/Employment/Compliance Academy, Office of Ethics and Compliance Academy
All summer associates will research and present on a legal or compliance issue related to their work
Opportunity to meet and work with AbbVie's in-house and outside counsel and compliance professionals, including partnering closely with both a manager and mentor who will both provide ongoing guidance and professional development.