Head of Litigation

BridgeBio Pharma•Palo Alto, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

This is a litigation leadership role. The Head of Litigation reports directly to the Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Legal Officer and owns the litigation and disputes portfolio for a publicly traded biopharmaceutical firm navigating a complex and competitive legal landscape. You will serve as the firm's senior litigator and have full accountability and ownership. The portfolio will span patent and intellectual property disputes, securities and shareholder matters, commercial and contract disputes, employment and labor, regulatory and government enforcement, and internal investigations. What we are looking for is someone who understands the full range of exposure this kind of firm carries as it grows, can build the infrastructure and relationships to be ready, and will manage whatever comes with confidence and judgment. At present, this role also carries direct responsibility for labor and employment legal counseling and support across the firm. You will build and manage outside counsel relationships with rigor and accountability, exercise independent judgment on strategy and risk, and serve as a trusted thought partner to the CSO and CLO and senior leadership. Working in coordination with the CSO and CLO, you will interface with government agencies, regulators, and enforcement bodies as appropriate. You will advise senior leadership and the Board as necessary on material litigation exposure, including oversight of public company litigation disclosures. Reporting directly to the CSO and CLO, you will have real visibility into how the firm manages legal and strategic risk, with a genuine voice in shaping the litigation function as you build trust and demonstrate impact. BridgeBio is building its litigation capability from the firm up. This is not a role where the function already exists and your job is to maintain it. You are here to design it, staff it appropriately, and make it excellent. We compete in highly contested markets. The litigation function here is expected to protect the firm's freedom to operate and to act strategically when the opportunity arises. Reactive is not the posture we are building toward. Every decision you make, every matter you manage, every relationship you build with outside counsel is ultimately in service of one goal: getting life-changing medicines to patients who have been waiting too long.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
Significant litigation experience, with meaningful exposure to complex matters in a life sciences or regulated industry environment, whether in private practice, in-house, or a combination of both.
Ideally, familiarity with patent and IP litigation in the pharmaceutical or biotech space, including Hatch-Waxman and PTAB experience.
Demonstrated experience managing complex litigation in the life sciences space, including but not limited to securities litigation, shareholder derivative actions, or related public company disputes.
Prior experience leading or coordinating government investigations, enforcement proceedings, or regulatory inquiries.
Proven ability to manage and develop outside counsel relationships with both strategic sophistication and financial discipline.
Experience with litigation disclosure obligations at a publicly traded firm.
Outstanding judgment and the ability to communicate complex litigation risk clearly to non-lawyers and business leaders across the organization.
A collaborative, builder's mindset: you are comfortable standing up a function within a broader excellent legal and compliance team, and energized by the challenge rather than daunted by it.

Responsibilities

Own the firm's litigation strategy and disputes portfolio, working in close partnership with the CLO and senior business leadership to protect the firm's interests and position it to act decisively when it matters.
Lead and manage the firm's litigation portfolio across patent and IP disputes, securities matters, commercial and contractual disputes, employment litigation, regulatory and government enforcement actions, and internal investigations, calibrating your approach to where the firm is and where it is heading.
Develop and own litigation strategy across the portfolio, aligning legal positioning with the firm's objectives and risk tolerance in close coordination with the CSO and CLO.
Select, supervise, and hold accountable outside counsel, with a sharp eye on quality, efficiency, and budget discipline.
Advise senior leadership and, as necessary, the Board and Audit Committee on material litigation exposure, including preparation and oversight of the firm's litigation disclosures.
Serve as an interface with government agencies, regulators, and enforcement bodies, working in coordination with the CLO and outside counsel.
Lead internal investigations and, where appropriate, coordinate independent investigations in partnership with the Board.
Build and maintain litigation holds, document preservation protocols, and e-discovery infrastructure in partnership with the legal operations function.
Partner with the IP, regulatory, commercial legal, and compliance teams to identify and manage dispute risk before it matures.
Establish and refine the firm's litigation playbook, including early case assessment, settlement authority frameworks, and litigation reserves guidance.
Contribute to the broader legal and compliance team as a senior leader, mentoring junior legal staff and helping build a function that is capable, collaborative, and ready to scale.

Benefits

Market-leading compensation
401(k) with employer match
Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
Pre-tax commuter benefits (transit and parking)
Referral bonus for hired candidates
Subsidized lunch and parking on in-office days
100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for you and your dependents
Health Savings Account (HSA) with annual employer contributions, plus Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Fertility & family-forming benefits
Expanded mental health support (therapy and coaching resources)
Hybrid work model with flexibility
Flexible, “take-what-you-need” paid time off and company-paid holidays
Comprehensive paid medical and parental leave to care for yourself and your family
Career pathing through regular feedback, continuous education and professional development programs via LinkedIn Learning, LifeLabs, & BetterUp Coaching