10 Genentech legal leaders
JoAnna Soffa, JD, MPH, Vice President Healthcare Law at Genentech, is one of ten Genentech legal leaders listed here, alongside people who hold associate general counsel and assistant general counsel roles at the company. A reader can learn how legal leaders work at Genentech from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Ana Christian
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director, Associate General Counsel and Group Lead, R&D, Global Legal Pharma · Genentech
Ana Christian has been Sr. Director, Associate General Counsel and Group Lead, R&D, Global Legal Pharma at Genentech since July 2026, and also lists Associate General Counsel since March 2026 and Assistant General Counsel since October 2021 at Genentech. Ana Christian was Sr. Director, Assistant General Counsel at Avanir Pharmaceuticals from 2019 to 2021 and Corporate Counsel at NantHealth from 2017 to 2019.
Brian Eckman
LinkedInExperience: Associate General Counsel, Commercial Portfolio Practice Group Leader · Genentech
Brian Eckman has been Associate General Counsel, Commercial Portfolio Practice Group Leader at Genentech since October 2022 and was Assistant General Counsel, Oncology Practice Group Leader, Healthcare Law Group there from 2020 to 2022. Brian Eckman was Associate General Counsel at Astellas Pharma from 2017 to 2020, Assistant General Counsel there from 2013 to 2017 and Senior Counsel at Bausch + Lomb from 2005 to 2013.
Daniel Shelton
LinkedInExperience: Director and Assistant General Counsel, Immunology & Ophthalmology IP Lead · Genentech
Daniel Shelton has been Director and Assistant General Counsel, Immunology & Ophthalmology IP Lead at Genentech since March 2026 and was Senior Patent Counsel there from 2024 to 2026. Daniel Shelton was Senior Patent Counsel at Johnson & Johnson from 2021 to 2024 and Senior Counsel at Foley & Lardner LLP from 2011 to 2021.
Jessica Russell
LinkedInExperience: Executive Director, Senior Associate General Counsel · Genentech
Jessica Russell has been Executive Director, Senior Associate General Counsel at Genentech since April 2024, with a headline naming roles as Technology IP Lead and Legal Policy Lead. Jessica Russell was Senior Director Associate General Counsel and Technology IP Lead at Genentech from 2022 to 2024 and Director and Assistant General Counsel, Immunology and Infectious Disease IP Lead from 2020 to 2022.
JoAnna Soffa, JD, MPH
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Healthcare Law · Genentech
JoAnna Soffa, JD, MPH has been Vice President Healthcare Law at Genentech since July 2023 and was Senior Director Associate General Counsel there from 2018 to 2023. JoAnna Soffa was Associate Director Assistant General Counsel at Genentech from 2013 to 2018, Senior Corporate Counsel there from 2008 to 2013 and Senior Counsel at Johnson & Johnson from 2005 to 2007.
Joel Trotter
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director, Associate General Counsel · Genentech
Joel Trotter has been Sr. Director, Associate General Counsel at Genentech since June 2025 and held the same title at Spark Therapeutics, Inc. from 2024 to 2025. Joel Trotter was Assistant General Counsel at GlaxoSmithKline from 2016 to 2024 and Senior Counsel there from 2008 to 2016, and describes a background in FDA regulatory law, manufacturing and supply, and transactional matters.
Katherine Nolan-Stevaux
LinkedInExperience: Associate General Counsel, Litigation · Genentech
Katherine Nolan-Stevaux has been Associate General Counsel, Litigation at Genentech since June 2025 and also held the title Head General Litigation, Associate General Counsel there from 2024 to 2025. Katherine Nolan-Stevaux was Senior Director, Associate General Counsel at Genentech from 2023 to 2024 and Assistant General Counsel & Litigation Team Lead there from 2021 to 2023.
Kimberly Gold
LinkedInExperience: Chief Privacy Officer Senior Associate General Counsel and Executive Director, Privacy Law · Genentech
Kimberly Gold has been Chief Privacy Officer Senior Associate General Counsel and Executive Director, Privacy Law at Genentech since April 2022 and was Chief Privacy Officer Associate General Counsel and Senior Director, Privacy Law there from 2020 to 2022. Kimberly Gold was a Partner at Reed Smith LLP from 2018 to 2020, with a headline naming data privacy, AI and cybersecurity law.
Qianru Li
LinkedInExperience: Executive Director and Senior Associate General Counsel, Therapeutics IP Lead · Genentech
Qianru Li has been Executive Director and Senior Associate General Counsel, Therapeutics IP Lead at Genentech since March 2025. Qianru Li was Senior Director and Associate General Counsel, OMNI IP Practice Area Lead at Genentech from 2022 to 2025, Director and Assistant General Counsel from 2021 to 2022 and Senior Patent Counsel at Genentech from 2018 to 2021.
Sarah E. Tully
LinkedInExperience: Director and Assistant General Counsel, Neuroscience and CVRM IP Lead · Genentech
Sarah E. Tully has been Director and Assistant General Counsel, Neuroscience and CVRM IP Lead at Genentech since September 2025 and was Director and Assistant General Counsel, Neuroscience and Ophthalmology IP Lead there from 2023 to 2025. Sarah E. Tully was Senior Patent Counsel, Oncology at Genentech from 2021 to 2023 and a judicial law clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit from 2020 to 2021.
Choose the right perspective
Pick the person whose legal area is closest to your question, since healthcare law, patents and intellectual property, privacy, commercial product work and litigation call for different experience. Check the dates on each role to see how recent the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What kinds of legal questions take most of your time in your current role?
- 02How do you decide which matters you handle in house and which go to outside counsel?
- 03What have you learned from your own work about advising research or commercial teams on legal risk?
Reaching Genentech legal leaders
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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