Legal Counsel (12-Month Contract)

Joining AbbVie means you will be part of a team of outstanding professionals dedicated to making a remarkable impact on patients' lives. At AbbVie, we conduct ground-breaking science on a global scale every day. AbbVie Canada is one of the Best Workplaces in Canada.

AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.

When choosing your career path, choose to be remarkable.

We have a new opportunity for an experienced Legal Counsel to join our new and dynamic Legal Affairs team. Based in Montreal, this role reports to the Head of Legal for AbbVie Canada.

As Legal Counsel, you will provide strategic commercial legal advice and strong counsel to support AbbVie’s core businesses and enterprise-wide initiatives. The successful candidate will be expected to rapidly gain knowledge of our industry and business and be a true business leader capable of managing priorities, providing strategic advice, and finding innovative legal solutions to a wide range of complex Canadian matters and global projects. To ensure success, you will need to be confident in managing issues and display strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to navigate legal and regulatory complexities.

Key responsibilities:

• Serve as the lead counsel in defined strategic priority areas and key brand teams, providing expert substantive advice and risk-based solutions to Marketing, Medical Affairs, Trade and Market access concerning a broad range of complex to highly complex legal, regulatory and compliance issues.
• Provide clear advice to senior business clients and executive management on Canadian laws and regulations focusing on areas of promotion, patient support, payer access, go-to-market strategies and collaborations.
• Develop proactive leadership offering business oriented, efficient, flexible and long-term solutions for core strategic business challenges, anticipating hurdles and evaluating the broader business impact of proposed ways forward.
• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of agreements such as complex trade and commercial agreements, master service agreements, pharmacy agreements, and other corporate agreements.
• Support executive matters delegated by the Head of Legal and drive workstreams within the Global Legal therapeutics team on strategic matters or projects in novel areas of law or business transactions.
• Adopt a problem-solving approach, proactive leadership skills and sound risk perspective to find legal solutions to a wide range of matters. Advise and resolve multi-faceted legal matters in practice area without supervision.
• Provide growth & development opportunities by coaching and training more junior attorneys via AbbVie mentorship programs or through project collaboration.
• To the extent that complex problems or specific technical expertise is required, select and direct the work of outside counsel, define and manage project objectives and budget.
• Find solutions and unlock opportunities for business clients consistent with the law, policies/procedures, and AbbVie’s Code of Conduct.

Key leadership competencies:

• Highly motivated and enthusiastic individual, with cultural sensitivity to working in a diverse and inclusive multi-national company. Strong communication and influencing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams and build strong relationships with senior or executive stakeholders.
• Work independently and prioritize key business priorities. Use good judgment, deliver initiatives on time, be agile and proactive.
• Learn about our business quickly and extensively, grasp the “essence” of matters or issues and understand facets and impact of decision-making.
• Demonstrate ability to be versatile and driven, while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency in a matrixed work environment.
• High ethical standards and integrity, acting as a role model and legal business leader within the organization.

Education / Experience required:

• Law degree from a recognized university.
• Licensed to practice law in Canada, preferably in Quebec.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of relevant legal experience, preferably in the pharmaceutical or other highly regulated industry.
• General understanding / experience in competition law, general corporate and criminal/anti-bribery law, privacy, intellectual property and regulatory compliance.
• Solid knowledge of market access and relevant Canadian legal landscape.
• Ability to manage multiple issues and files across different departments.

Essential skills and abilities:

• Advanced French and English language proficiency (oral and written). English skills are required for communication with stakeholders outside of Quebec and with global senior leadership.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities to apply.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

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