Senior Corporate Counsel, Business Development Transactions Law

Bristol Myers Squibb

. Lead the structuring, drafting, and negotiation of business development and corporate development transactions, including licensing, collaborations, mergers and acquisitions, options, equity investments, and divestitures, from term sheet through execution .

Posted 10/12/2026full-timeUnited StatesSenior💰 $255,260 - $309,309 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading and negotiating complex business development transactions within the biopharmaceutical/life sciences industry, including licensing, collaborations, and mergers and acquisitions. Possesses strong legal acumen in regulatory compliance, due diligence, and contract law, with a commitment to continuous improvement in alliance management processes.

Highest-signal resume keywords

J.D. Degree10+ Years Legal ExperienceBiopharmaceutical/Life Sciences Industry ExpertiseLead Counsel on High-Value TransactionsRegulatory Clearance Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Drafting Complex AgreementsNegotiating Licensing TransactionsLegal Due DiligenceRisk AssessmentContract Law Monitoring

Soft Skills

Strong Interpersonal SkillsExecutive PresenceIndependent Judgment

Certifications & Qualifications

Admission to State Bar

Industry Keywords

Business DevelopmentCorporate DevelopmentMergers and AcquisitionsCollaboration AgreementsRegulatory Environment

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the structuring, drafting, and negotiation of business development and corporate development transactions, including licensing, collaborations, mergers and acquisitions, options, equity investments, and divestitures, from term sheet through execution
Define legal due diligence scope and issue-escalation paths, coordinating with IP, litigation, antitrust, regulatory, tax, and other specialist functions
Synthesize diligence findings into actionable risk assessments and recommendations for deal teams and senior stakeholders
Coordinate antitrust and regulatory strategy from pre-filing analysis through clearance
Advise on regulatory escalation points
Own the legal handoff of executed transactions to Alliance Management, including knowledge transfer, governance setup, issue spotting, and post-execution guidance
Oversee external counsel relationships, workstreams, advice, deliverables, quality, timeliness, and cost effectiveness
Mentor business development attorneys and contract professionals and review work product without formal people-management responsibility
Monitor developments in contract law, regulations, and industry practice and advise on negotiation positions, contracting standards, and template updates
Contribute to continuous improvement of business development contracting and alliance management processes, including templates, playbooks, escalation protocols, and knowledge-management resources

Requirements

What you’ll need

J.D. degree and admission to a state bar
Minimum 10 years of legal experience
Experience leading, drafting, and negotiating complex agreements in the biopharmaceutical/life sciences industry
Strong working knowledge of the biopharmaceutical/life sciences industry, including deal structures, development and commercialization models, and the regulatory environment
Track record as lead counsel on high-value licensing, collaboration, and M&A transactions from term sheet through closing
Experience directing legal due diligence across IP, litigation, antitrust, regulatory, and tax specialists
Experience managing transactions requiring regulatory clearance
Sound independent judgment on significant legal and business issues
Strong interpersonal skills and executive presence, with the ability to advise and influence senior business stakeholders
High integrity and commitment to BMS values

Benefits

Comp & perks

Comprehensive benefit plans, including wellbeing support, retirement and financial protection benefits, and medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
Flexible Time Off (FTO) without a set accrual limit for U.S.-based exempt employees, subject to manager approval
11 paid company holidays each year
160 hours of paid vacation annually for eligible new hires in specified employee categories, subject to manager approval
3 optional holidays for eligible employees in specified employee categories
Paid sick leave
Up to two paid volunteer days per year
Summer hours flexibility
Leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, or military needs
Annual Global Shutdown between Christmas Day and New Year's Day for eligible employees
Additional discretionary incentive cash and stock opportunities
Workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing disability support