Commercial Counsel

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit – an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies worldwide by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best large companies to work for, as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

This attorney position works out of our Lake Forest, IL location in the Legal division supporting Abbott’s Core Diagnostics division. The Core Diagnostics division offers a range of diagnostics platforms that empower smarter medical and economic decision‑making to help transform the way people manage their health at all stages of life. The position requires a commercial attorney who will identify and resolve complex legal issues to support the operations of this business, acting as a day‑to‑day legal advisor and working closely with the business on a broad range of legal and commercial matters.

What You’ll Work On

The successful candidate must possess strong knowledge of corporate and commercial/transactional law, demonstrate expertise in drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements, and advise on a range of business transactions and operational matters. Experience with general corporate law, commercial agreements for traditional and digital products, and the healthcare industry is preferred. Core job responsibilities include:

• Providing sound, practical, and timely legal advice on a wide variety of legal matters related to the operation of a commercial business that markets and sells to healthcare institutions, government entities, healthcare professionals, and distributors.
• Drafting, negotiating, and reviewing a wide range of agreements, including complex matters related to sales, distribution, and marketing of assays, instruments, and digital health products.
• Advising multidisciplinary teams on marketing strategies and approval of promotional materials.
• Resolving legal issues using negotiation skills and legal expertise, including pre‑litigation dispute resolution and settlements.
• Assisting in the creation of new template agreements, playbooks, guidance documents, and training to support efficient contracting processes for various business functions.
• Maintaining familiarity with laws that affect the business and providing basic counseling on those laws, including those relevant to sales and marketing of products to healthcare professionals and reimbursement by government programs (e.g., Anti‑Kickback Statute, False Claims Act, FDA regulation, HIPAA, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, intellectual property, and research and development regulations).
• Representing Abbott externally to suppliers and customers.
• Supervising and directing outside counsel as needed.
• Cooperating with the compliance organization to coordinate and streamline efforts.
• Identifying training needs and assisting in the development and presentation of training and education regarding legal requirements and developments.
• Developing a thorough understanding of Abbott’s businesses, people, products, markets, facilities, customers, and competitors, and using this knowledge to provide guidance and counsel to the business team.
• Occasional minimal travel may be required (greater than 10%).

Interaction with the Legal, Compliance, Regulatory, Quality, Scientific and Medical Affairs, Finance, Marketing, and Commercial/Sales departments is expected.

Critical Success Factors

• Good Judgment: Demonstrating expertise and sound judgment, understanding how assigned responsibilities support Abbott’s business objectives, and providing practical, risk‑balanced advice based on a thorough understanding of the scope of an issue.
• Collaboration: Understanding available legal, functional, and business resources and integrating information from multiple sources to achieve business results in a complex, global, matrixed environment.
• Anticipation: Holistic, big‑picture thinking, anticipating changes in law, enforcement, and/or business objectives and adapting approach to manage risks and mitigate issues before they arise.
• Influencing Skills: Building strong relationships with business partners, tactfully influencing and gaining their support to drive desired outcomes, representing Abbott externally to customers, suppliers, competitors, or government agencies, and resolving legal issues using negotiation skills.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school, strong academic background, and ability to obtain or possess appropriate licensure to practice law in Illinois.
• Five or more years of experience as a commercial attorney at a top law firm or in‑house.

Preferred Qualifications

• Healthcare industry or other relevant industry experience preferred.
• Ability to handle multiple projects in a fast‑paced environment while exercising sound commercial and legal judgment.
• Capability to independently handle complex matters with minimal supervision, understanding when to elevate issues to senior management and the appropriate timing.
• Top‑notch legal skills, strong ethical foundation, excellent interpersonal, strategic thinking, communication, and organizational skills.

Base pay: $129,300.00 – $258,700.00

Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities/Women/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans. EEO is the Law link – English: EEO is the Law link – Spanish: