Senior Counsel

The Senior Counsel, reporting to a Deputy General Counsel, provides legal support to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc., with emphasis on sponsored research compliance, basic and translational research-related contracting, and intellectual property (IP), know-how, and technology-transfer contract terms. This attorney also supports strategic research initiatives, multi-institutional collaborations, clinical research networks, and large-scale federally sponsored research programs, including matters involving consortium governance, research security, data sharing, and international research collaborations. The role is responsible for delivering timely legal guidance, reviewing and negotiating research and other agreements, and advising on compliance matters that impact St. Jude, working most closely with Compliance and the Technology Development Industry Engagement (TDIE) team and coordinating with the Data Protection Officer and Chief Privacy Officer as needed.

This position may be eligible for remote work. However, St. Jude requires all remote employees to:

• Travel to our Memphis campus for the interview process and/or orientation, if selected
• Travel to Memphis to work on-site for one week per quarter, or as requested based on business needs, if hired.

By applying, you acknowledge and agree to these travel requirements as a condition of employment.

This position is remote within approved U.S. locations. Due to state-specific employment regulations, we are unable to consider applicants currently residing in California for remote work; however, candidates based in California who are willing to relocate to an approved location may be considered.

Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, analyze, and negotiate research-related agreements, including basic and translational research agreements, sponsored research agreements, clinical and pre-clinical collaboration agreements, IP and technology agreements, data sharing agreements, international research agreements, and large consortium agreements.
• Conduct due diligence and provide strategic guidance on ongoing basic and translational research relationships and proposed collaborations, including contractual, regulatory, data-use, IP, publication, confidentiality, export-control, foreign influence, research-security, and related institutional risk considerations.
• Provide legal analysis and counsel investigators and institutional leadership on federal and institutional research compliance rules and regulations, including federal award terms and conditions, sponsor requirements, research-security obligations, foreign component disclosures, other support requirements, international collaboration, foreign influence, export-control, controlled research data, and evolving federal requirements to specific research activities and institutional decisions, and institutional policies governing sponsored research.
• Support the development, implementation, and review of internal policies related to conflict-of-interest management, research security, sponsoring-agency requirements, and requirements governing research, data, samples, and safe and respectful work and learning environments, including coordination with National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other sponsoring agencies as needed.
• Partner with the TDIE team to support IP protection consistent with institutional IP policies, including advice on IP ownership, licensing considerations, invention-related contractual provisions, protection of know-how, and consideration of data rights.
• Provide legal support to other institutional personnel, departments, committees, and cross-functional initiatives as necessary.
• Negotiate workable solutions to complex and sensitive legal issues involving research collaborations, sponsor requirements, IP/data rights, regulatory compliance, and institutional risk allocation.
• Assist in training and education on legal matters, including sponsored research compliance, research contracting, data-use terms, IP-related contract provisions, confidentiality, publication rights, and research-security obligations.
• Advise on ownership and allocation of intellectual property in research agreements; publication rights; use of background IP; confidential information; data ownership, access, use, sharing, retention, and protection provisions; and related risk allocation terms.
• Assist in maintaining contract templates, clause libraries, and internal guidance that integrate IP considerations, data-use and data-protection provisions, sponsor compliance requirements, publication and confidentiality standards, and institutional risk positions.
• Assist in preparing and presenting materials to staff, internal committees, and executive leadership regarding research compliance, contracting, IP/data issues, and other matters within the attorney’s area of responsibility.
• Other duties as assigned, including but not limited to internal risk management, and patient care call coverage rotation during the year.
• Maintain regular and predictable attendance.

Minimum Education and/or Training:

• Doctorate of Jurisprudence (JD) degree required from an accredited law school.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum Experience: 10+ years of experience in multiple specialized areas of the law, such as technology matters, international/foreign law matters, medico-legal advising, labor and employment, academic programs, clinical research, foreign law, insurance, privacy/data protection, health care compliance, grants and contracting, intellectual property, medical staff relations, non-profit tax issues, animal care and use, environmental health and safety, and accreditation matters.
• Strongly Preferred: Demonstrated experience or strong working knowledge in one or more of the following areas: sponsored research compliance, research contracting, technology transfer, intellectual property provisions in research agreements, data-use agreements, privacy/data protection, federal grant compliance, or healthcare/research regulatory matters.
• Background representing health care or academic clients strongly preferred.
• Proven performance in earlier role.

Licensure, Registration and/or Certification Required by Law:

• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction required.
• License to practice law in the State of Tennessee is required within nine (9) months from date of hire into the position. Registration as in-house counsel in lieu of a full license to practice is an option but must be obtained within six (6) months of date of hire into the position.

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $151,840 - $287,040 per year for the role of Senior Counsel.

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No Search Firms

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. Please do not call or email. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee or other representative at St. Jude via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place and approved by HR will result in no fee being paid in the event the candidate is hired by St. Jude.