Corporate Transactions Paralegal

Merck & Co.•Rahway, NJ

83d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Paralegal III to join the Corporate Transactions organization in the Offices of the General Counsel to provide support for our Company's Business Development & Licensing organization and other Corporate Transactions client organizations, including reviewing, drafting and advising on confidential disclosure agreements, research agreements, material transfer agreements and service agreements.

Requirements

High School degree required
Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience
Knowledge of legal principles, strategies and technology, and advanced legal advisory skills, especially within the pharmaceutical or life sciences industry.
Highly effective at communicating sound advice to employees and third parties under the direction of an 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 and attention to detail in analyses, drafting and communications.
Ability to speak and write clearly and succinctly, including ability to explain/ articulate 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 fast-paced or demanding 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 direction and seek further advice from an 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).
Business Decisions
Cite Checking
Client Service
Commercial Agreements
Communication
Confidentiality
Contract Administration
Contract Language
Contractual Drafting
Corporate Governance
Detail-Oriented
Filing Documents
Influencer Relations
Intellectual Property
Jurisprudence
Legal Analysis
Legal Documents
Legal Documents Preparation
Legal Document Writing
Legal Negotiations
Legal Research
Legal Technology
Negotiation
Patent Prosecution

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree or Paralegal certificate preferred

Responsibilities

Hybrid work arrangement with a minimum of 3 days per week in person in the Rahway office.
Analyzes and advises transactional clients regarding agreement provisions, and drafts and negotiates contract language for agreements supporting global operations.
Consults with and advises transactional clients and our Company scientists regarding the business implications of agreement provisions.
Agreements range from routine confidential disclosure agreements to research agreements, services agreements, evaluation agreements, consortia agreements, material transfer agreements, license agreements, master services agreements and other agreements involving granting and/or receiving intellectual property rights from third parties.
Requires a solid understanding of contract drafting and interpretation of issues involved in commercial transactions and the ability to address complex issues that arise in negotiating these types of agreements.
Requires ability to adapt language to solve specific issues that arise in negotiations, and apply knowledge to respond to counterparties' language.
Requires understanding of our Company 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.
Review, draft and/or develop legal documents and communications independently.
Independently handle legal and/or factual research, as appropriate.
Independently negotiate a wide array of legal documents.
Screen requests for legal advice/support, and review information provided from client for completeness, as needed.
Respond to questions and inquiries with sound advice on complex issues under the direction of an attorney, as appropriate.
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 the direction of an attorney, as appropriate.