Managing Partner

Scott B. Townsend provides External GC Law Group, LLC clients the benefit of +25 years of in-house legal experience at public biotech and pharma companies and law firm experience.  Having served as General Counsel or Chief Corporate Counsel for several public biotech and pharma companies, Mr. Townsend has advised clients regarding the day-to-day business and legal issues facing life science companies.

Mr. Townsend has significant experience in contract negotiation, including CDAs/NDAs, consulting agreements, CMO/CDMO agreements, CRO agreements, clinical trial agreements, SRAs, licensing and technology transfer matters.

From 2010 to 2012, 2016 to 2019 and January 2026 to present, Mr. Townsend served as the Managing Partner of External GC, a boutique law firm providing GC-level legal advice on contracts to biotech, pharma companies and med device companies.

From September 2019 to January 2026, Mr. Townsend served as SVP of Legal and Chief Corporate Counsel for Voyager Therapeutics, Inc., a public biotech company (VYGR).  While at VYGR, Mr. Townsend provided legal advice on day-to-day legal and business matters as well as BD transactions that raised in excess of $500 million in non-dilutive financing (e.g., collaborations and licenses with companies including AbbVie, Neurocrine Biosciences, Novartis and Pfizer).  He also negotiated key agreements with contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) and contract research organizations (CROs).

From 2012 to 2016, Mr. Townsend served as SVP of Legal, General Counsel, and Secretary for AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMAG), a public biopharma company with approved products. While at AMAG, he provided legal advice on day-to-day legal and business matters as well as strategic transactions, including AMAG’s acquisition of Lumara Health and its product MAKENA®, manufacturing and commercial supply agreements, global clinical trials and financings raising over $1.2 billion in equity and debt.

From 2008 to 2009, Mr. Townsend served as EVP of Legal, General Counsel, and Secretary for Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc., a public specialty pharma company, after its acquisition of Critical Therapeutics, Inc. (CRTX).  From 2004 to 2008, he served as SVP of Legal Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary for CRTX, a public pharma company with commercial products and biotech research programs.

Prior to going in-house in 2004, Mr. Townsend served as a Junior Partner in the Corporate Department at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, where he worked on CRTX's venture financing in 2003 and IPO in 2004.  He also served as a corporate lawyer at Goodwin Procter LLP and Kilpatrick Stockton LLP.  While in private practice, Mr. Townsend advised companies on M&A transactions, venture financings, and public and private offerings.

Mr.  Townsend served as the Co-Chair of the advisory board of a business incubator and served as a board member of several non-profits.  He has delivered presentations to business groups (e.g., MIT Enterprise Forum, National Business Incubation Association, Center Entrepreneurial Development) on topics including venture capital financing, M&A, technology transfer and public offerings.

Mr. Townsend received his J.D. from The University of Virginia School of Law and his A.B. magna cum laude from Bowdoin College with a double-major in Economics and Government and Legal Studies.