Sr. Manager, Outside Counsel & Legal Operations

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

This position works onsite out of our headquarters at Abbott Park, Illinois or Chicago, Illinois at Abbott’s Willis Tower location.
 

Abbott is seeking an attorney with a passion for creative and critical thinking to fill this position. The Senior Manager, Outside Counsel & Legal Operations is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing an array of programs to assist the in-house legal team maximize the value of legal services to the company. The ideal candidate is familiar with a broad range of legal issues and current trends, and who can interact with Legal leadership (including the General Counsel). This is a unique opportunity to play a critical role in Abbott’s Outside Counsel Management Program.

What You’ll Work On

• Partner with Abbott’s Legal team to select and evaluate appropriate outside counsel and legal vendors to ensure quality of service and maximize value, support active law firm management.
• Participate in developing and implementing strategic outside counsel initiatives supporting DEI, spend management, training, and pro bono.
• Negotiate preferential rates and fee arrangements, manage RFP process, and oversee annual outside counsel rate increase request process.
• Analyze potential conflicts of interest and draft waivers, as appropriate; manage Abbott’s standard terms of engagement, draft and negotiate engagement letters.

• Drive strategy for using analytics and business intelligence to assess outside counsel work and spend; identify opportunities for improving efficiencies and driving value. 
• Collaborate internally and externally to analyze and improve processes and develop innovative solutions; develop communication strategy regarding outside counsel processes and initiatives.
• Leverage existing technology, identify new technologies and implement tools to increase business intelligence and efficiency.

• Participate in industry organizations to build a robust benchmarking and performance assessment program, benchmark approaches and identify new strategies and models for the delivery of legal services.
• Organize outside counsel educational meetings and training programs.
• Supervise direct report(s).

 

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor
• Ideally 2+ years strategic operations experience, preferably with legal
• Excellent analytical skills (problem structuring and problem solving); able to handle complex analysis.
• Excellent communication and conceptual synthesis skills (written and oral)
• Excellent project management skills
• Tech-savvy; comfortable exploring and using new technologies.
• Outstanding flexibility, adaptability, and sen