Senior Counsel, Corporate & Intellectual Property – San Francisco Bay Area (980-SLS)
Our client, a large, multi-specialty physician-led medical group, has exclusively retained Solutus Legal Search to assist the company in its search for a Senior Counsel, Corporate & Intellectual Property. Reporting to our client’s Chief Legal Officer, the Senior Counsel will serve as a key legal advisor, providing strategic and transactional legal support across corporate matters and intellectual property (IP) initiatives. This role will play a central part in advising on the formation and operation of an affiliated startup subsidiary focused on healthcare innovation, digital health, and emerging technologies. The ideal candidate combines strong corporate governance and transactional experience with IP fluency and a practical, business-oriented approach to supporting clinical and operational leadership.
Key Responsibilities Corporate – Governance & Transactional
Provide day-to-day legal support on a broad range of corporate matters, including governance, structuring, and internal transactions
Draft, review, and negotiate complex agreements, including:
Joint ventures and strategic partnerships
Vendor and services agreements
Technology and licensing agreements
Support entity formation, restructuring, and subsidiary governance
Advise senior leadership on legal risks associated with corporate structure, new business initiatives and strategic investments
Partner with finance, compliance, and operational teams to support integrated decision-making
Intellectual Property
Advise on identification, protection, and commercialization of IP assets, including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and patent strategy (in coordination with outside counsel as needed)
Structure and negotiate IP licensing, collaboration agreements, and commercialization arrangements
Develop and implement IP policies and best practices across the organization
Support technology transfer and innovation initiatives arising from clinical, research, and operational activities
Manage IP portfolio oversight and work with external IP counsel
Healthcare Innovation
Serve as primary legal advisor to an evolving startup subsidiary focused on healthcare innovation ( e.g ., digital health, care delivery models, AI tools, or population health solutions)
Provide legal guidance on:
Entity formation and capitalization strategies
Governance structure and board matters
Strategic partnerships and investor relationships
Regulatory considerations impacting emerging healthcare technologies
Help build scalable legal frameworks that balance innovation with compliance in a highly regulated healthcare environment
Regulatory & Risk Advisory
Issue-spot and advise on healthcare regulatory frameworks relevant to innovation in collaboration with subject matter experts
Provide practical guidance that enables business teams to move forward thoughtfully within regulatory constraints
Coordinate with compliance, privacy, and risk management functions
Cross-Functional Leadership
Act as a trusted advisor to physician leaders, executives, and business stakeholders
Lead or support cross-functional initiatives involving legal, clinical, and operational teams
Manage and oversee outside counsel efficiently
Mentor junior attorneys or legal staff as appropriate
Qualifications Required
Law degree
Registered In House Counsel (California) within 12 months of hire OR State Bar License (California) within 12 months of hire
Minimum of 10 years of experience as a practicing attorney analyzing and applying healthcare or employment, contract, and/or corporate laws, regulations, and guidelines.
Preferred
Significant experience in corporate governance and transactions
Demonstrated experience with IP matters (transactional IP and/or IP strategy)
Experience supporting startups, venture-backed companies, or innovation initiatives
Familiarity with digital health, AI, data governance, or technology commercialization
Strong drafting, negotiation, and problem-solving skills and ability to operate independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Comfort working with physician leadership and governance bodies
Compensation consists of an annual base salary range of $243,700 to $315,370, a target bonus, and generous benefits. The total compensation package will vary and depend on internal alignment and the candidate’s years of directly relevant experience and skills. Solutus has been selected as the exclusive retained representative on this desirable search. Resumes submitted directly to our client will be forwarded to Solutus for review and evaluation. Ref. #980-SLS