Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq ARWR) is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead’s RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing.
Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates.
Arrowhead’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI. Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need.
The Position
Arrowhead is seeking a corporate counsel II to join its legal team in San Diego, CA, Verona, WI, or Madison, WI offices. Reporting to the Assistant General Counsel, the Corporate Counsel II will provide counsel on general corporate matters related to a broad variety of the company’s functions and negotiate complex agreements. The ideal candidate will have experience in a corporate transactional practice (such as technology transactions, life sciences or another similar practice) or a mix of corporate and litigation experience, and be willing and capable of handling a variety of complex legal matters that impact the Company.
This role is based onsite fulltime with an expectation to be in office 5 days a week.
Responsibilities
- Draft and negotiate a wide range of agreements related to the Company’s business, and provide valued legal advice to business stakeholders during contract negotiations
- Provide strategic advice and counsel on legal matters affecting existing or proposed arrangements, including privacy, artificial intelligence, securities, pharmaceutical commercialization, and corporate law
- Assist with legal workstreams (including due diligence), such as supporting diligence data room document population and access, drafting consents and certificates, preparing audit backup support as requested, assisting in preparing and finalizing securities filings, and counseling on equity plan administration issues
- Lead corporate governance activities for Arrowhead’s growing list of entities
- Assist with employment, real estate, compliance, internal investigations, and litigation matters, as appropriate
- Evaluate information, and provide research, counsel, and guidance on complex legal, business and factual issues for which sound legal judgment, experience, and independent reasoning is required, balancing big-picture business needs with anticipated legal risk
- Counsel management, as appropriate, with oversight of more senior counsel
- Accomplish and resolve matters through formal organizational channels and through informal networks
- Be an internal resource capable of practically applying technical expertise to real business problems and/or opportunities
- Continue to develop in-depth knowledge and functional expertise in select professional disciplines
- Address the business’ needs by involving the right people at the right time, understanding the company’s ultimate objectives, being responsive and developing creative solutions
- Surface problems and issues before projects become derailed
Requirements
- Juris Doctorate required with 4 to 6 years of experience in a recognized law firm with a sophisticated corporate practice or in-house in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology or similar field. For candidates with significantly more experience, a corporate counsel III position may be considered
- Candidate must be licensed to practice law and in good standing
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Strong analytical ability, critical and strategic thinking skills and attention to detail and project management skills to ensure appropriate execution
Preferred
- Familiarity with negotiating strategic pharmaceutical agreements (e.g., supply agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, 3PL agreements, etc.)
- Mixed experience of both corporate and litigation matters, with a depth of experience in a specific area of need for the business
- Pharmaceutical or biotech experience
Arrowhead provides competitive salaries and an excellent benefit package.
Candidates must have current, valid authorization to work in the country where this role is located.
California Applicant Privacy Policy
Skills Required
- Juris Doctorate
- 4 to 6 years of experience in a recognized law firm with a sophisticated corporate practice or in-house in pharmaceutical/biotechnology or similar field
- Licensed to practice law and in good standing
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Strong analytical, critical and strategic thinking, attention to detail, and project management skills
- Willingness and ability to work onsite full time (5 days/week) in San Diego, CA; Verona, WI; or Madison, WI
- Familiarity with negotiating strategic pharmaceutical agreements (supply, licensing, distribution, 3PL)
- Mixed experience of both corporate and litigation matters
- Pharmaceutical or biotech experience
What We Do
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage, Nasdaq listed (ticker ARWR) company developing medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, our therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Our RNAi-based therapeutics are at the leading edge of genetic-based therapy with the potential to bring life changing treatments for patients. Our Targeted RNAi Molecule (TRiMTM) platform utilizes ligand-mediated delivery and is designed to enable tissue-specific targeting while being structurally simple. The TRiM platform builds on more than a decade of work on actively targeted drug delivery and offers several advantages including simplified manufacturing and reduced costs; multiple routes of administration; and potential for improved safety. Our employees are nimble, science-driven, and innovative professionals. A career at Arrowhead offers the opportunity to collaborate with top notch scientists to rapidly discover and develop RNAi-based therapeutics to add to our growing pipeline. Research and development activities are located in Madison, WI. Our R&D group includes fully-integrated capabilities for chemistry, biology, and toxicology. Madison is an exciting and sophisticated city that includes state government, the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin, and major research organizations. Our HQ, clinical and regulatory operations are located in Pasadena, CA. Just north of Los Angeles and resting in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Pasadena is known for its natural scenic beauty, vibrant cultural and academic environment and rich architectural setting.
