Counsel, Commercial Legal

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

     

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Free medical coverage for employees* via the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.
   

The Opportunity
Our location in Abbott Park or Willis Tower currently has an opportunity for a Counsel, Commercial Legal.

What You’ll Work On

Primary Job Function:

Abbott is currently seeking a business-minded attorney to provide legal advice to Abbott’s Nutrition Division. The attorney will be expected to identify and resolve complex legal issues to support the operations of a global leader in the research, development, manufacturing, sales, and marketing of specialized food products. The attorney will be responsible for acting as the day-to-day legal advisor for key client groups as assigned by the attorney’s manager.

Technical Skills:

The successful candidate must have experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements and advising and counseling clients on a range of business transactions and operational matters. The candidate will also be expected to counsel clients on how to meet objectives in a practical and legally compliant manner. Core job responsibilities include:

• Drafting, negotiating and reviewing a wide range of agreements, including complex matters relating to procurement, sales, licensing, marketing, co-promotion and research collaborations.
• Reviewing marketing programs and promotional materials to ensure compliance with FTC truth-in-advertising principles, Abbott policies and applicable law.
• Advising and ensuring that internal clients receive sound, practical and timely legal advice on a wide variety of legal matters related to operation of a commercial business that markets to health care professionals, retailers and consumers.
• Resolving legal issues using negotiation skills and legal expertise, including pre-litigation dispute resolution and settlements.
• Assisting in the creation of new template agreements, playbooks and training to support efficient contracting processes for the commercial legal function.
• Developing knowledge of Abbott’s businesses, products and client areas supported.
• Maintaining familiarity with laws that affect client areas to issue spot and provide basic counseling, including those relevant to sales and marketing of products to health care professionals and reimbursement by government programs areas, for example, fraud and abuse (Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act), FDA regulation (Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act), privacy (HIPAA), and anti-corruption (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).
• Representing Abbott externally to suppliers and customers; and
• Helping select and manage outside counsel, when specialized legal advice is needed.
• Geography Support: This position supports a global business and requires interaction with local legal teams and affiliates located within the U.S. and around the world.

• Reporting/Department: The position will report to Division Counsel or Senior Counsel, Nutrition.
• Travel: The position will require occasional travel within the U.S. and internationally.

Critical Success Factors:

• Good Judgment:  Demonstrate expertise and sound judgment, understand how assigned responsibilities support Abbott’s business objectives, and be able to provide practical, risk-balanced advice base