The Paralegal oversees the successful creation, review and execution of all COPD Foundation contracts with varying levels of complexity.  This key role for the Foundation reports directly to the Chief of Staff.  The successful candidate must have a strong legal and contracts background, preferred experience in the pharmaceutical industry, academic liaison, or academic technology transfer with exceptional attention to detail.  The ability to organize multiple projects at one time and be able to communicate though all levels of the organization is required daily. 

 

This position works across the Foundation’s matrix structure with COPDF department Leaders, Finance and COPD Foundation retained legal counsel and must have the ability to be discreet and work on confidential matters. 

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

     ·        Handles all contract and paralegal-related aspects of the COPD Foundation including certain administrative tasks for corporate matters, from inception to conclusion relating to the drafting, editing, reviewing, assisting with negotiations, and execution of contracts.

·        Serves as primary contact to the other party involved in the contract

·        Primarily responsible for understanding the law, identifying legal issues requiring review by counsel, assisting in negotiations, and drafting lengthy documents pertaining to critical matters for the Foundation.

·        Uses practical knowledge of the law and legal concepts to identify legal issues and escalate them appropriately.

·        Receives assignments from the Chief of Staff to work on substantive legal matters (in an independent, thorough, and competent fashion) that are often immediate in nature. 

·        Draft contracts and legal documents related to COPD Foundation on-going and future business.

·        Ensures that all questions are asked that will draw out all relevant information which may potentially have legal implications.

·        Performs legal research and other online research, as needed, to provide background and primary information for legal issues.

·        Investigates business issues related to the assigned matters and collaborates with Leadership to determine legal implications and the appropriate course of action.

·        Organizes facts, establishes legal theories, and determines applicable foundational terms pertaining to legal matters and then drafts the appropriate Legal Document that accurately, clearly, and thoroughly incorporate all of these.

·        Works closely with any retained external legal counsel as needed in a proactive and efficient manner with specific accountability for billable hours.

·        Resolves any issues that could delay or prevent a contract from being finalized and/or executed.

·        Template Management – responsible for the drafting, editing, and evaluation of various templates for standard contracts and agreements.

·         Contract management

o    uses Vendor Risk, SharePoint, DocuSign, SalesForce, and other systems as needed for entry, storage and workflow monitoring of contract work. 

o   Evaluates current COPDF contract management process and suggests business rules to streamline and organize the process.

 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 

·        Undergraduate degree and a paralegal or equivalent certificate (or an alternative advanced degree and certification)  

·         4 years’ experience as a Paralegal required;

·        Undergraduate degree and a paralegal certificate or undergrad degree in Paralegal Studies plus 4 years’ experience as a Paralegal required;

·        5-7 years’ experience with contract review, creation, and execution.

·        Tech savvy and demonstrable knowledge of Vendor Risk, DocuSign, SalesForce

·        Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents

·        Experience in public health, political science, or public policy helpful but not required

      

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 

·        Program and/or Project Management experience

·        History of overseeing complex projects with aggressive timelines

·        Ability to establish priorities and manage multiple activities simultaneously

·        Proficient in MS Office (365 preferred), including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams

·        Excellent verbal and written communication with proofreading abilities for own and others’ work

·        Strong interpersonal skills

·        Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and outside counsel

·        Ability to solve practical problems and deal with changing priorities

·        Ability to work independently with minimal guidance and ability to work well in teams