Description:

About this role:
As a highly experienced Employment Counsel on the Legal & Compliance team, you will serve as a trusted senior legal advisor to Biogen's Global Human Resources organization, providing strategic counsel and practical guidance on a broad range of employment, people relations, compliance, and workforce management matters affecting more than 8,000 employees globally.

Reporting to the Chief Employment Counsel, you will partner closely with HR, Legal & Compliance, Finance, and key business leaders to navigate complex workplace challenges globally, manage legal and regulatory risk, and support key business initiatives.

You will play a critical role in shaping employment practices, driving risk mitigation and governance efforts, overseeing investigations and disputes, and helping ensure that Biogen's workforce strategies remain aligned with evolving global legal requirements and business objectives.

This role requires exceptional legal judgment, strong leadership presence, and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical, actionable advice that enables effective business decisions in a dynamic life sciences environment.

What You'll Do:
Strategic Employment Counseling

Serve as a legal advisor to Global Human Resources on employment law and people relations matters across the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, performance management, accommodations, leave administration, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, workforce restructuring, and separations.
Partner with HR and business leaders to develop practical, risk-informed solutions.
Provide strategic advice on sensitive employment matters.
Support business leaders in navigating complex workplace issues while maintaining compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Investigations, Disputes, and Risk Management

Advise on sensitive workplace investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misconduct, and other significant employee relations concerns.
Manage employment disputes, including demand letters, agency investigations, and litigation matters.
Oversee outside counsel and legal budgets related to employment matters.
Partner with external counsel and Biogen colleagues in markets around the world to deliver practical, globally informed solutions.
Identify employment-related risks and recommend mitigation strategies.

Global Employment Compliance and Governance

Oversee key elements of Biogen's global HR governance program.
Advise on global employment law issues and cross-border personnel movement.
Support development and enhancement of employment policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
Conduct employment-related audits and compliance assessments.

Cross-Functional Partnership and Legal Leadership

Collaborate with HR, Legal & Compliance, Finance, and other business functions.
Monitor employment law developments and regulatory trends.
Translate legal developments into practical guidance.
Develop and deliver training and policy updates.

Who You Are:
You are a highly skilled employment lawyer with deep expertise in U.S. employment law and demonstrated experience advising on cross-border workforce mobility and global employment matters. You are comfortable operating across multiple regions by partnering with local counsel and regional teams to deliver practical, business-focused guidance.

You combine sound legal judgment with a solutions-oriented approach and are comfortable advising senior leaders on complex and sensitive workforce matters. You know how to reduce legal and regulatory risks while supporting business growth and organizational transformation.

What You'll Achieve

Serve as a trusted advisor to Global Human Resources on the organization's most significant employment law and employee relations matters.
Help shape compliant, consistent, and scalable employment practices across a global workforce.
Reduce legal and regulatory risk while enabling business growth and organizational transformation.
Strengthen governance, investigations, dispute management, and compliance programs.
Build enduring partnerships across the organization.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor (J.D.).
Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible employment law experience, including law firm and in-house experience.
Deep expertise in U.S. employment law, employee relations, and HR compliance.
Experience with international employment law and HR governance.
Proven experience managing investigations, employment disputes, and outside counsel relationships.
Demonstrated ability to advise and influence senior HR leaders and business executives on complex, high-risk workforce matters.
Licensed to practice law in Massachusetts or eligible for admission.

Preferred Qualifications:

In-house experience supporting manufacturing, life sciences, medical device, healthcare, and/or global commercial organizations.
Public company experience.
Experience with global works councils.
Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Experience supporting multinational organizations and global employment law issues, including reorganizations, restructurings, M&A integrations, cross-border workforce mobility, or other significant business transformations.
Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and build trusted partnerships across a complex, matrixed global organization.