Shirley Kuhlmann has gone in-house at Collegium Pharmaceutical Inc. after serving as the specialty pharmaceutical company's outside counsel at Pepper Hamilton.

Kuhlmann has been named executive vice president, general counsel and secretary at the Canton, Massachusetts-based drug company—the first person to hold the newly created role, according to a Mar. 19 news release announcing the move. Kuhlmann will oversee all of Collegium's legal and compliance matters.

Collegium develops medications to treat chronic pain. Its signature drug, Xtampza ER, is an extended-release, oral formulation of oxycodone with a proprietary abuse-deterrent technology, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2016 for the management of severe continuous pain.

Neither Kuhlmann nor a company spokesperson could immediately be reached for comment about the move.

“We are pleased to have Shirley join our leadership team at this exciting time,” Collegium's CEO Mike Heffernan said in a statement. “Shirley's previous role at Pepper Hamilton, combined with her in-depth knowledge and understanding of Collegium, will bring immediate value as we execute our growth strategy.”

Kuhlmann began her legal career in 2007 at Pepper Hamilton, where she was a partner in the health sciences practice group. She worked with both public and private companies on various commercial and transactional matters, including financing, corporate governance and disclosure matters, as well as M&A and other business combination transactions.

“I have been honored to represent Collegium as outside counsel, and I am very excited to be joining the team at this pivotal time in the company's development,” Kuhlmann said in the statement. “I look forward to working with this proven management team and executing on Collegium's mission to become the leader in responsible pain management,” she said.

Kuhlmann holds degrees from Columbia University and Emory University School of Law.