Clinical Trial and R&D Contracting Lawyers

We are currently seeking Clinical Trial and R&D Contracting Lawyers to work with leading organizations in the Life Sciences industry.

Responsibilities

• Lead the drafting, negotiation, and management of global clinical trial agreements and related documents with sophisticated counterparties, including hospitals, academic medical centers, universities, government agencies, and large healthcare systems.
• Serve as primary legal support for CRO-facing arrangements, including master services agreements, work orders, change orders, and related vendor contracts, ensuring clear allocation of responsibilities, data rights, IP, and risk.
• Support R&D and pre‑clinical activities, including:
  • Sponsored research agreements with academic and research institutions
  • Material transfer agreements (inbound and outbound)
  • Non‑clinical/GLP study agreements and related R&D collaborations
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of clinical and R&D agreements, including:
  • Clinical Trial Agreements (industry‑sponsored and investigator‑initiated)
  • Informed consent forms and related patient‑facing documentation
  • Collaboration, consulting, confidentiality (CDAs/NDAs), and data use agreements
  • Supply, manufacturing, and ancillary services agreements supporting clinical development
• Provide practical, business‑oriented legal advice to clinical operations, R&D, medical, regulatory, data/biostats, and procurement teams in a fast‑paced environment.
• Advise on global regulatory and compliance requirements affecting clinical research (e.g., FDA regulations, ICH GCP, GDPR and other data privacy rules, transparency/disclosure requirements, anti‑bribery/anti‑corruption considerations).
• Partner closely with cross‑functional stakeholders to develop playbooks, templates, and process improvements that accelerate study start‑up while appropriately managing risk.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of post‑qualification legal experience at a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, or CRO organization, or in a law firm serving such clients.
• Demonstrated experience leading global clinical contracting (not limited to a single region), including multi‑country or multi‑site clinical trial agreements and related documentation.
• Substantial, hands‑on experience drafting and negotiating CRO agreements (e.g., master services agreements, work orders, and related vendor contracts) as a core part of your practice.
• Meaningful experience supporting R&D and pre‑clinical work, including:
  • Sponsored research agreements with academic or research institutions
  • Material transfer agreements
  • Other early‑stage R&D or non‑clinical study agreements
• Strong knowledge of laws, regulations, and industry standards governing clinical research, such as FDA regulations, ICH Guidelines, GCPs, and applicable data privacy and human subject protection requirements.
• Proven ability to provide clear, risk‑balanced guidance directly to business clients and to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams in a remote or hybrid environment.
• Licensed and in good standing to practice law in your state of primary residence.

Compensation: 

The estimated total compensation for full-time Axiom attorney roles is $104,500-325,000 per year and for non-attorney roles is $71,250-309,750 per year. Compensation decisions are based on various factors, including, but not limited to, experience, skills, certifications, location, and business needs.  Employees may be eligible for additional benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance; paid holidays and PTO; flexible work arrangements; and professional development opportunities and tools. 

About Axiom: 

For over 25 years, Axiom has pioneered the alternative legal services industry, now serving more than 1,500 legal departments globally with our unique blend of world-class legal talent and advanced AI tools, delivering innovative solutions ranging from that combine top-tier talent with cutting-edge technology. We tackle complex legal matters across 12 practice areas for clients ranging from Fortune 100 to SMBs, empowering our legal professionals to engage in meaningful work that advances their careers. Our Talent NPS score of +71% and our Client NPS score of +64% highlight our commitment to excellence (Reported scores were Axiom’s average for 2025 – the legal industry average NPS score is +35%). Join our forward-thinking community where you’ll keep your career dynamic and multi-faceted, be part of a company that values agility, collaboration, and excellence, and love both the law and your life. 

Learn more about life at Axiom.  

Axiom is the global leader in high-caliber, on-demand legal talent. Covering North America, the UK, Europe, and APAC, we enable legal departments to drive efficiency and growth and meet the demands of today’s business landscape with best in class alterative legal services.   

Diversity is core to our values and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Axiom ensures equal employment opportunity in recruitment and employment, without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, nationality, national or ethnic origin, religious creed or belief, political opinion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender identity status, pregnancy or maternity, age, disability, alienage or citizenship status, marital (or civil or other partnership recognized by law) status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation, military service, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Axiom prohibits and will not tolerate any such discrimination or harassment. 

Upon request and consistent with applicable laws, Axiom will provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities who require accommodations to participate in each stage of the recruitment process. To request an accommodation, please contact benefits@axiomlaw.com. 

Axiom respects your privacy. For an explanation of the kind of information we collect about you and how it is used, our full data privacy notice is available here.    

Employment with Axiom may be contingent upon successful completion of a background check, providing proof of identity, and possessing the necessary legal authorization to work. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, NY Fair Chance Act, and Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 

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