Paralegal - Corporate Transactions (Hybrid)
Job Description
We partner with the business to ensure we maintain our company’s values and high ethical standards, comply with the law, protect our people, and enhance our reputation. We strive to foster an environment that is inspiring, supportive, and diverse.
Position Description: Paralegal: P3, Senior Specialist, Legal Support
Legal Area: Corporate Transactions
We are currently seeking a Paralegal III to join the Corporate Transactions organization in the Office of General Counsel to provide support for Business Development and Licensing.
Responsibilities
- Analyzes and advises transactional clients and alliance managers regarding agreement provisions, and drafts and negotiates agreement language for agreements supporting global Research & Development Division operations (including support of ex-US hubs).
- Consults with and advises transactional clients and our Company's scientists regarding the business implications of agreement provisions.
- Agreements range from routine CDAs to research agreements, consortia agreements, material transfer agreements and other agreements involving granting and receiving intellectual property rights from third parties.
- Requires a solid understanding of contract drafting and interpretation on issues involved in commercial transactions, and the ability to apply a sophisticated approach to solving issues that arise in negotiating these types of agreements.
- Must be able to adapt language to solve specific issues that arise in negotiations, and apply knowledge to respond to counterparty’s language.
- Requires understanding of our Company's stakeholder needs and priorities, and the ability to balance those with competing priorities.
- Applies knowledge of industry to adjust negotiations and drafting based on counterparty (universities, government agencies, or biotechs).
- Responsible for identifying and addressing necessary updates to templates.
Job is located in Kenilworth, moving to Rahway in 2023. Hybrid work arrangement is available, with a minimum of 2/3 days in person in the office.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Review, draft and/or develop legal documents and communications without support, and contribute to the review and/or drafting of legal documents and communications
- Independently handle legal and/or factual research as appropriate
- Screen requests for legal advice/support, and review information provided from client for completeness, as needed
- Lead and/or guide delivery of a broad range of initiatives to streamline processes and tools that improve overall productivity of legal support
- Cultivate, maintain and influence relationships with stakeholders, and lead negotiations
- Coach others to critically evaluate data to identify issues and provide counsel under direction of attorney as appropriate
- Lead teams in the review and/or development of concise legal documents and communications to internal business partners and external stakeholders
- Respond to questions and inquiries with sound advice on complex issues under direction of attorney as appropriate
Position Qualifications:
Education and Experience Minimum Requirement:
- High School degree with 8 years of experience in addition to a Paralegal certificate or Associates degree with 4 years of experience or Bachelors degree with 2 years of experience.
Preferred Experience and Skills:
- Knowledge of legal principles, strategies and technology, and advanced legal advisory skills
- Highly effective at communicating sound advice to employees and third parties under direction of attorney as appropriate
- Understanding of the specific legal challenges around a specialty area and ability to use that knowledge to shape decisions that support appropriate business goals
- Accuracy & attention to detail in analyses and communications
- Ability to speak and write clearly and succinctly, including ability to explain/ articulate on complex legal issues to a wide range of audiences
- Ability to craft and deliver effective and influential communications that are tailored to the target audience, and ability to emphasize key points and ideas in communications
- Effective time management to meet deadlines including project management skills, prioritization, and consistent delivery of commitments, and ability to organize information and build upon ideas of others
- Ability to foresee possible risks to project goals and deadlines and create pre-emptive solutions
- Autonomy on complex tasks as well as ability to recognize need for and seek further direction of attorney
- Discrete in handling sensitive and confidential information, and a high level of integrity
- Clear motivation and focus on achieving measurable, tangible results
- Willingness to adopt change
- Advanced Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel)
Our Support Functions deliver services and make recommendations about ways to enhance our workplace and the culture of our organization. Our Support Functions include HR, Finance, Information Technology, Legal, Procurement, Administration, Facilities and Security.
Who we are …
We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.
What we look for …
Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today.
NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS
In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions.
If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor.
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Residents of Colorado
Click here to request this role’s pay range.
Employees working in roles that the Company determines require routine collaboration with external stakeholders, such as customer-facing commercial, or research-based roles, will be expected to comply not only with Company policy but also with policies established by such external stakeholders (for example, a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access a facility or meet with stakeholders). Please understand that, as permitted by applicable law, if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and an essential function of your job is to call on external stakeholders who require vaccination to enter their premises or engage in face-to-face meetings, then your employment may pose an undue burden to business operations, in which case you may not be offered employment, or your employment could be terminated. Please also note that, where permitted by applicable law, the Company reserves the right to require COVID-19 vaccinations for positions, such as in Global Employee Health, where the Company determines in its discretion that the nature of the role presents an increased risk of disease transmission.
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.
For more information about personal rights under Equal Employment Opportunity, visit:
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Under New York City, Washington State and California State law, the Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education.
Expected salary range:
$88,480.00 - $139,100.00Available benefits include bonus eligibility, health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick days. For Washington State Jobs, a summary of benefits is listed here.
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
RegularRelocation:
No relocationVISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Shift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):