Position Summary

We are seeking an organized and motivated Junior Paralegal to join our legal team, primarily supporting product liability litigation. The ideal candidate will assist paralegals and attorneys throughout the litigation process by handling case management tasks, preparing legal documents, and ensuring efficient workflow within the department.

Principal Tasks

1. Conduct factual research from internal and external sources. Interact/interview all levels of personnel in various departments at SMO and other Suzuki entities to obtain relevant information. Maintain knowledge of SMO’s organization and operating systems to access available data. Timely respond to requests for information, analysis, or documentation.

2. Proactively track and manage all assigned product liability (PL) and breach of warranty (BOW) cases from initiation to resolution.

   • Gather and file all as-filed Complaints, Answers, Pleadings, Orders, Initial Disclosures, Expert Disclosures and Reports, Exhibit Lists, Witness Lists, Trial Exhibits, Responses, Motions, Stipulations, etc. in Case Management Database(CMD), following up with outside counsel as necessary to ensure complete collection.

   • Gather and file all outside counsel work product in CMD: Correspondence, all Suzuki proprietary reports as well as Deposition Summaries, Deposition Transcripts, Jury Research related materials, Police/Investigator Reports, Defense Tenders, Denials, Settlement related documents (Demands, Offers, Mediation Statements, and Suzuki proprietary settlement documents), Meet-and-confer letters, etc., following up with outside counsel as necessary to ensure timely receipt.

   • File all Suzuki proprietary case related internal documents in CMD.

   • Gather and file all expert materials, including CV, inspection photos, etc. in CMD.

   • File any other documents designated on a case-by-case basis by supervisor, manager, and department.

   • Attend case-related meetings as requested.

   • Keep tracking any communications between Legal department and outside counsels regarding assigned cases and recording those to CMD. 

3. Maintain and update case management systems, calendars, and databases for all assigned cases to ensure accurate and timely information.

   • Open and close assigned matters in CMD.

   • Keep updating CMD fields for PL reports.

   • Update PL calendar for all assigned cases.

   • Digitize documents in Legal Library and File Room.

   • Create and maintain a litigation discovery database by uploading 100 plus documents (not Bates) per workweek per person (5-6 documents per hour and 3-4 hours or more per day).

   • Create and maintain other litigation discovery database(s) as requested.

   • Prepare TREAD report for Suzuki database as needed.

4. Assist attorneys with drafting, reviewing, and filing legal documents, including pleadings, motions, discovery requests, and responses.

   • Send reminders to outside counsel if a document/pleading is due in time for Suzuki review.

   • Create case-specific Teams channel, upload draft documents for collaborative review, share final version with outside counsel.

   • With assistance from Senior Paralegal: Draft discovery responses. Draft discovery guidance memos. Prepare materials for production. Identify and mark documents that contain sensitive/confidential/privileged information.

   • Download and save all discovery documents from all parties in requested format/organization.

   • Identify responsive, confidential, and privileged documents and lead collaborative internal and external review, including Bates stamping and watermarking with assistance from Senior Paralegal. 

   • Support brief and motion bank maintenance and log of documents.

   • Prepare monthly discovery status report for all cases.

   • Prepare legal hold drafts.

5. Coordinate and manage the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence, including product documentation, testing results, sales/service records, marketing materials, and expert reports.

   • Locate, collect and organize documents as necessary from various internal and external Suzuki departments and third-party vendors.  Create and maintain substantive indexes of materials collected and distributed throughout the life of the matter.

   • Information organization. Timely maintain matter management and other management database. Responsible for initial case intake. Set up and maintain paper and electronic files in accordance with department procedures and processes. Assemble documents and information for attorney reference and case preparation. Coordinate with in-house attorneys, outside counsel and their staff, and supervisor/manager/department to maintain matter management reports, calendar entries and diary database with relevant developments.

   • Create case folder in shared drive when new case opened, collect internal documents in collaboration with departments and companies outside of the Legal Department in requested format/organization, and complete Initial Internal Document Collection Report.

   • Prepare social media and online investigation memo in requested format/organization for each assigned case, and update per requested period.

   • Maintain a document core of discovery documents and prepare monthly report on database status.

   • Develop and maintain a familiarity with Suzuki products and documents.

6. Facilitate communication between internal teams, outside counsel, experts, and other stakeholders.

   • Act as a liaison among various internal departments as well as with outside entities. Promptly fulfill requests for staff counsel and others without follow up. Create reports/analysis from matter management data and various data as requested.

   • Prepare engagement letter drafts.

   • Provide constructive feedback annually on Suzuki guidelines for outside counsels.

   • Attend Legal department meetings.

   • Coordinate meeting logistics.

   • Set up and run necessary facility/device for any hybrid meetings.

   • Present necessary meeting materials during Legal internal meeting.

7. Prepare summaries of case status, deadlines, and key developments for attorney review.

   • Summarize PL case activities in Notes for CMD.

   • Summarize BOW case activities for monthly BOW report.

   • Update assigned fields in Legal department proprietary documents monthly.

8. Manage legal holds

   • Maintain legal hold log.

   • Conduct quarterly review meetings of legal hold log.

   • Issue legal holds via online portal.

9. Assist with special projects, annual goals, and other Legal Department work as requested.  Prepare regular progress reports as requested.

10. Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and ensure compliance with company policies and legal standards.

11. Actively participate in the evaluation and implementation of new legal technology tools.  Recommend and help pilot process improvements to streamline litigation support and document management.  Continually review policies, procedures, and technology for improvement or efficiencies in case management.  Share insights with department.

12. Mentor and support Legal Support Specialist.

13. Contribute data for quarterly and annual litigation analytics reports.

14. Represent Suzuki. Travels as necessary at the direction of inside counsel, supervisor, manager and department to attend case/job related events, including depositions, settlement conferences, court hearings, strategy meetings, legal technical conferences, small claims hearings and trial.

15. If holding CA Notary Public commission, perform notarial tasks as requested by the company.

16. Perform additional duties as assigned by supervisor, manager, and department to support the Legal Department’s needs.