Career Path of a Chief Legal Officer at BioMarin Pharmaceutical
Eric's career path began with a political economy degree and summer construction jobs, transitioning to commercial real estate before law school. After practicing corporate and securities law, including IPOs and M&A work, a large client, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, became their focus for over 20 years, leading to a role as Chief Legal Officer, where they oversaw the company's growth from "170 employees to now just about 3000, 3,500 or so," and expansion into global operations.
Biotechnology, Law, Corporate Law, Government Affairs, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
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Traits
Eric Davis
Chief Legal Officer
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
U.C. Berkeley
University of San Francisco, Juris Doctorate
Political Science, American Studies
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical
Legal
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Eric's diverse college experience, combining political economy with hands-on construction work, shows that a direct path isn't always necessary for success.
2. His transition from commercial real estate to law, driven by his transaction experience, highlights how transferable skills can open new career avenues.
3. Eric's long tenure at BioMarin (20+ years), coupled with expanding responsibilities (intellectual property, government affairs), showcases the potential for growth and impact within a single company.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college and any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
Sure, I'd be happy to.
During college, I didn't have any internships. I was focused on paying for college by working construction during the summers.
I majored in political economy, which was a very new major at the time. I loved the combination of economics and political science, as it allowed me to explore different concepts and ideas. It was a bit tough to market afterwards.
I went into the commercial real estate industry for a while and enjoyed the transaction side of it. This led me to decide to go to law school. After law school, I worked for a couple of firms, including a large law firm, for several years. I initially thought I would do real estate law, but I ended up doing more general corporate and securities work, including IPOs and M&A.
My largest client at the time was BioMarin Pharmaceutical, a biotech company. I spent more than half of my working hours on their account because they didn't have an in-house legal department. I joined BioMarin just over 20 years ago, and I've been leading the legal function here for that entire time.
Shortly after I arrived, I added intellectual property to my responsibilities. Somewhat later, I also took on government affairs. I've been involved in government affairs work for almost 18 years now.
I've seen the company transform from about 170 employees to nearly 3,000 to 3,500 today. We've grown from a single location in Marin County to having operations in over 70 countries, with employees all over the world. It's been quite a journey.