Associate General Counsel, Corporate & Transactions

Legend Biotech is a global biotechnology company dedicated to treating, and one day curing, life-threatening diseases. Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, we are developing advanced cell therapies across a diverse array of technology platforms, including autologous and allogenic chimeric antigen receptor T-cell, T-cell receptor (TCR-T), and natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy. From our three R&D sites around the world, we apply these innovative technologies to pursue the discovery of safe, efficacious, and cutting-edge therapeutics for patients worldwide.

About the role

The Associate General Counsel, Corporate & Transactions will be an integral member of Legend Biotech’s Legal Department and will report to the General Counsel. This role will lead the U.S. and EU contracting function, including direct responsibility for managing and developing three direct reports, and will serve as a senior legal partner to business leaders across the organization. The role will be directly responsible for negotiating complex strategic transactions, with a particular focus on business development and licensing transactions; serving as the go-to Legal resource for questions relating to Legend’s collaboration with Janssen; managing Legend’s U.S. and EU subsidiaries; and supporting other corporate matters and projects in a fast-paced, dynamic biotech environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the drafting, review, and negotiation of complex strategic transactions and agreements, with a particular focus on business development and licensing transactions that advance the company’s strategic objectives and priorities.
• Serve as the primary Legal point of contact and subject matter expert for questions, obligations, issues, disputes, and other contractual arrangements relating to Legend’s collaboration with Janssen, including the company’s BCMA program and related collaboration and license agreement matters.
• Lead the company’s U.S. and EU contracting function, including directly supervising, mentoring, and developing three direct reports and overseeing the contracting process, policies, templates, playbooks, and contract lifecycle management systems.
• Support the General Counsel on corporate governance, securities, Board and committee matters, subsidiary management, intercompany arrangements, and other corporate projects.
• Maintain books and records for the company’s U.S. and EU subsidiaries and work closely with tax, accounting, and other stakeholders on subsidiary governance and related intercompany agreements.

Requirements

• 10+ years of relevant legal experience, including substantial experience drafting, reviewing, revising, and negotiating complex strategic transactions, with a particular focus on business development and licensing transactions in the life sciences industry.
• Strong understanding of life sciences collaborations, licensing arrangements, and other strategic transactions, including the ability to advise on ongoing contractual obligations and relationship-management issues.
• Demonstrated record of providing strategic, practical legal advice to senior leadership, the Board, and other stakeholders within R&D, Business Development, Clinical, Medical, Commercial, Operations, and Finance functions.
• Experience in the life sciences industry, ideally with a global publicly traded company.
• Demonstrated experience leading a contracting function or legal operations process, including supervising, mentoring, and developing direct reports.
• J.D. degree from an accredited U.S. law school (or the equivalent); high academic achievement.
• Licensed to practice law in one or more U.S. states; either admission to the New Jersey Bar or eligibility for in-house qualification in New Jersey.
• Knowledge of the legal and regulatory environment applicable to a global life sciences company preferred, including: the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the False Claims Act (and similar state laws), the Anti-Kickback Statute (and similar state laws), and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (and similar anti-bribery laws).

Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and digital contract lifecycle management tools.
• Clear and practical communication style.
• Team player with collaborative mindset and willingness to learn in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple matters.
• Ability to prioritize work to meet changing needs.
• Strong ability to influence and present complex information to senior leaders.
• Demonstrated success in proactively and independently driving transactions and processes.

Pay

Base pay range: $256,073 - $336,097 USD. Other types of pay: Performance-based bonus and/or equity is available to employees in eligible roles.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a company match that vests fully on day one.
• Eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave after just three (3) months of employment.
• Paid time off policy that includes vacation time, personal time, sick time, floating holidays, and eleven (11) company holidays.
• Flexible spending and health savings accounts.
• Life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Legal assistance and supplemental plans such as pet, critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance.
• Voluntary commuter benefits.
• Family planning and care resources.
• Well-being initiatives and peer-to-peer recognition programs.

Please note: These benefits are offered exclusively to permanent full-time employees. Contractors are not eligible for benefits through Legend Biotech.

Work Authorization & Employment Eligibility

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. As part of our commitment to maintaining a lawful workforce and ensuring compliance with federal employment regulations, we participate in the E-Verify program. If you are selected for employment, you will be required to complete the Form I-9 process, and your employment eligibility will be verified through E-Verify in accordance with applicable federal law.