Sr Counsel

Advarra•United States of America,

2d•Remote

About The Position

Advarra’s Legal Department is looking for a senior legal advisor and enterprise partner to be part of our collaborative team and shape Advarra’s legal strategy across commercial, product innovation, and corporate initiatives. This Senior Counsel role will serve as a key legal advisor and strategic partner to the business, leading complex, high-impact transactions and providing guidance across multiple functional areas. Your primary responsibility will be leading legal negotiations with our customers and vendors, efficiently bringing deals to a favorable close. This individual will lead the structuring of novel and strategic transactions, develop scalable legal frameworks, and drive alignment across business units. In addition to transactional leadership, this role contributes to enterprise risk management, governance, and long-term business strategy. The role also serves as a thought leader within the organization and externally, helping position Advarra as an industry leader in legal and regulatory innovation within clinical research. We are looking for a high performer who has exceptional communication skills and is adaptable, team-oriented, loves to learn, and operates with a high degree of integrity.

Requirements

J.D. and Bar Admission required
15+ years of relevant legal experience with a strong preference for in-house experience
Experience working in-house at a technology company, software company, CRO or pharmaceutical company
Experience with different kinds of commercial transactions (e.g., SaaS, strategic alliance, IP licensing, software licensing, working with contractors, outsourcing, facilities, etc.)
Experience with at least one of these additional areas: product counseling, employment law, intellectual property, M&A, or partnerships

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and provide practical, business-focused legal advice at all levels of the organization
Recognized expertise in one or more key domains (e.g., SaaS, healthcare, clinical trials, privacy, regulatory)
Proven ability to pick up new areas of law and technical product understanding
Familiarity with data privacy, HIPAA, and information security; knowledge of IRBs and related FDA regulations a plus
A confident, effective, and positive negotiator who can lead the process, focus on important issues and efficiently bring deals to a favorable close
Strong aptitude for drafting documents, emails, and anything else in a very precise manner, while still being concise and digestible for non-lawyers. Attention to detail is a must
Skilled at working cross-functionally and collaboratively with different departments
Ability to manage conflicting demands and priorities and deliver work within deadlines
Motivated to learn about a wide range of topics, including intellectual property, privacy, general corporate matters, and employment issues
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and general computer familiarity and navigation skills
Salesforce experience preferred

Responsibilities

Shape and implement legal strategy aligned with corporate objectives
Lead and structure complex, high-value, and enterprise-critical transactions that influence company strategy and market positioning
Anticipate and identify legal trends and provide strategic, business-oriented recommendations to senior leadership to proactively position the company
Lead high-impact initiatives such as M&A, new market entry, or major partnerships
Provide day-to-day product and business counseling for Advarra’s product team
Negotiate and provide ongoing legal support for strategic partnerships and collaborations
Provide ongoing legal support for the human resources team
Assist with litigation, investigations, and other special projects as needed
Coordinate with internal and external subject matter experts, including external counsel, when needed
Drive the contracting process and serve as point of contact for internal stakeholders and customers
Draft and negotiate a variety of contracts, including master agreements (containing SaaS subscription terms), data privacy agreements, statements of work, software user agreements, business associate agreements, and consulting services arrangements
Respond to inquiries regarding contract interpretation and compliance
Introduce new methodologies or tools to build and institutionalize scalable legal operational excellence
Serve as a recognized subject matter expert and establish good working relationships with internal clients, based on mutual trust and respect, as well as knowledge of the company’s business, needs, and goals
Mentor and provide guidance to junior attorneys and legal professionals to develop capability across the legal function
Other duties as assigned