Celia Eckert Email & Phone Number

Pasadena, California, United States

• Chief Legal Adviser to all employees and members of Board of Directors to ensure transparent accountability by establishing trust and open communication
• Ensure consistent disclosure, compliant with SEC requirements and investor stewardship
• Partner with Business Development to close wide range of complex transactions
• Oversee Intellectual Property Strategy implementation and maintenance
• Built and manage service-oriented, creative, results-driven legal department
• Address employment law and compensation matters

Encinitas, California

Greater San Diego Area

• Provided legal leadership to Finance, Business Development and Scientific teams to structure, draft and negotiate complex transactions in connection with organizational structuring, corporate financing, strategic.
• Negotiated research collaboration agreements with fortune 100 companies, governmental entities and universities
• Partnered with Human Resources to ensure inclusive, collaborative, creative, engaged corporate culture
• Negotiated Real Estate transactions for our five leased and owned buildings to provide flexibility

La Jolla, California

• Partnered with colleagues throughout organization to develop and implement strategies to address legal and regulatory requirements and accomplish business goals
• Drafted and reviewed SEC filings, marketing material, press releases and other public disclosures, working with departments such as Finance, Human Resources, Marketing and Regulatory to ensure cross-functional alignment
• Legal leader to Business Development and Commercial teams in negotiations of wide range of complex domestic and international transactions
• Collaborated with Regulatory function to ensure compliance including review of all promotional communication, creation and implementation of policies, procedures and training for sales and marketing and interaction.
• Served as secretary and provided advice to Compensation Committee of Board of Directors

San Diego, CA

• Structured and negotiated complex transactions such as pharmaceutical product acquisitions, licensing and joint venture agreements, credit facilities and various operational contracts
• Partnered with Finance department to draft SEC filings in preparation for IPO prior to acquisition by Nestlé
• Partnered with Sales and Marketing teams to develop and train sales force in connection with product launch and distribution of pharmaceutical and diagnostic products
• Developed patent life cycle strategies by working with R&D, Regulatory, Marketing and Clinical departments along with external patent counsel
• Partnered with Human Resources department and managers to address employee issues
• Collaborated with Compliance function through sales force training, audits and investigations

• Negotiated sale of company to Lone Star Funds for $296 million
• Managed corporate and securities issues with board members and management amidst crisis in mortgage industry
• Served as Secretary of Audit, Nominating and Corporate Governance committees of the Board of Directors
• Prepared SEC filings and collaborated with investor relations and marketing departments to publicize information in a compliant manner
• Structured, negotiated and drafted contracts for all corporate departments including information technology, strategic initiatives, finance, operations and marketing
• Negotiated strategic transactions, financings and asset disposition strategies

• Drafted all documents necessary wide range of corporate transactions including financings ranging from early investments to public offerings, mergers and acquisitions and strategic partnerships
• Developed strategy for and drafted briefs and pleadings necessary to defense of complex litigation such as stockholder derivative lawsuits and wage-hour class actions
• Conducted investigations to support litigation and government investigations
• Clients included small private biotech, software and telecommunication startups and large well-established companies such as Pacific Bell, Chevron and Dynegy

• Collaborated with economists to analyze and negotiate federal agency approval of wide range healthcare transactions
• Represented clients in complex antitrust litigation and government investigations
• Participated in all aspects of discovery leading up to trial, including taking and defending depositions
• Supervised a team of over 30 lawyers to conduct nation-wide discovery
• Clients included hospital networks, such as Tenet Healthcare and Sutter Health, managed care providers, physician groups and financial institutions

Ba, Political Science

Education record

Jd