Deputy General Counsel, Research

City of Hope (COH) is a pioneer in cancer and diabetes research and home to a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center. Reporting to the Vice President, Senior Deputy General Counsel Healthcare & Research, the Deputy General Counsel has a key role supporting City of Hope’s clinical and basic research activities. As an independent biomedical, treatment and academic center with operations in California, Arizona, Illinois and Georgia, COH faces unique and challenging issues. This role functions as a critical strategic partner to the research enterprise.

Deputy General Counsel’s duties include, without limitation: provide legal advice and analysis on regulatory, contracting and strategic matters; draft and review legal documents, including sponsored research grants and agreements, clinical trial agreements, research services agreements, and manufacturing agreements; perform legal research on research issues; assist management in drafting policies, procedures and guidance; advise leadership regarding faculty governance and academic matters; and supervise outside attorneys in connection with research matters.

In this role you will:

• Counsel and advise on a broad range of legal issues implicating research, including those involving federal and state laws.
• Monitor, research, and advise on legislative and regulatory developments, case law, and government enforcement actions impacting the organization and research operations practices, as well as provide proactive, strategic advice.
• Review, draft, and negotiate a wide variety of contracts, including but not limited to, research services agreements, clinical trial agreements, manufacturing agreements, quality agreements, data use agreements, material transfer agreements, federal and foundation grants and sponsored research agreements.
• Work in conjunction with Research Compliance, the Office of Sponsored Research and the Clinical Trials Office to help ensure compliance with laws and COH policies and guidelines in the performance of research.
• Provide legal advice to senior management and departments by providing written or oral opinions on complex legal issues.
• Support the Ethics & Compliance Program in advising and investigating research misconduct matters as well as provide legal support for investigations concerning potential violations of applicable policies or laws, in coordination with other departments.
• Partner with the Ethics & Compliance Program in advising on conflict of interest matters for COH researchers
• Assist business partners with developing policies, processes, documents, and templates to optimize business approaches.
• Work within the Office of General Counsel (OGC) to provide advice and counsel on a variety of other issues facing research institutions as needed.
• Oversee, manage and work collaboratively on matters assigned to outside counsel engaged to represent or assist COH, including review, direction and supervision of outside counsel's legal work.
• Effectively manage internal relationships and provide legal advice in a practical and easy to understand manner, orally and in writing, to allow the business team to appropriately evaluate risk.
• Provide training and education as appropriate regarding new developments and/or new policies.

Minimum Education: J.D. from an accredited law school is required. Member in good standing of one State Bar within the U.S., preferably California, Arizona, Illinois, or Georgia

Minimum Experience: 7-10 years of recent, relevant and broad experience advising on research (clinical and basic) matters, with a minimum of three years focused on research at academic medical centers or universities. ⁠ Experience shepherding a variety of research legal matters and issues to conclusion, including internal investigations. Experience managing outside counsel. Experience with health law and/or non-profit organization (preferred).

Skills:

• Strategic, critical thinker, with high integrity and strong work ethic

• Able to develop and maintain relationships based on trust and respect

• Creative, proactive, solutions-oriented problem-solver

• Able to work independently while exercising appropriate judgment in communicating relevant issues and matters to the Senior Deputy General Counsel, Healthcare and Research, and other appropriate COH stakeholders

• Strong organizational skills and ability to handle high volume and balance competing demands, with experience working on multiple projects at once in a fast-paced environment

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• A clear record of producing high-quality work product

• Ability to clearly articulate complex ideas, in both written work and when dealing with internal business clients as well as adverse parties

• Excellent interpersonal, listening and relationship-building skills in a client-focused environment

• Demonstrated desire for continuous learning and improvement

• Ability to work proactively, collaboratively and respectfully with others, abiding at all times by the institutional values and Code of Conduct, to streamline work and achieve mutual goals