Paralegal Specialist

Dow•Midland, MI

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Dow is hiring a Paralegal Specialist for its Core Legal Practices team, based onsite in Midland, Michigan, or Lake Jackson, Texas. The role provides complex legal support across legal practice areas, excluding Litigation. The specialist independently manages varied assignments involving multiple legal entities, stakeholders, and business considerations, applying legal knowledge, sound judgment, discretion, analytical thinking, and attention to detail. Work is guided by appropriate legal professionals, while the specialist manages assigned matters within established responsibilities and authority. Most assignments involve contracts, including confidentiality, distribution, formulation, rebate, repack, sales, trademark license, and other goods and services contracts. The role includes contract intake and processing; comprehension and summarization; drafting, reviewing, revising, and redlining; negotiating within authorized parameters; preparing amendments; and applying defined terms. The specialist also supports governance, risk, and compliance matters and legal services related to employees, former employees, and retirees. The position works with lawyers, paralegals, other legal professionals, and business and functional stakeholders. It contributes to timely decisions and effective risk management, develops capabilities across multiple subject areas, and supports improved legal-service delivery through technology, standardized workflows, and continuous improvement. Relocation assistance is not available.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree or relevant military experience at or above a U.S. E5 or Canadian Petty Officer 2nd Class or Sergeant ranking, plus at least 5 years of relevant work experience; OR at least 10 years of relevant work experience.
Substantive contract experience, including reviewing and interpreting contract language and performing several of the following: drafting, revising, redlining, summarizing, negotiating within authorized parameters, preparing amendments, and applying defined terms.
Experience managing contract intake and processing and identifying issues that require guidance, escalation, or additional approval.
For this U.S.-based position, ability to work legally in the United States; visa sponsorship or support is not available, including for a U.S. permanent residency (green card) process.
Strong reading comprehension and interest in analyzing detailed written material, with the ability to work accurately with complex contract language.
Strong written and verbal communication, interpersonal, collaboration, and negotiation skills; ability to adapt communication for different audiences and work effectively with employees at all organizational levels, customers, and third parties.
Strong analytical, critical-thinking, organizational, and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to identify errors, inconsistencies, dependencies, and potential risks.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, complex, client- and team-focused environment with limited supervision.
Commitment to continuous learning, process improvement, teamwork, and effective use of technology.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting commercial contracts in a corporate legal department or comparable environment.
Experience using contract management, legal intake, workflow, and similar systems.
Familiarity with corporate policies, internal controls, delegated authority, contract approval and signature requirements, and third-party due diligence.
Experience using automation, artificial intelligence, data, or standardized workflows to improve legal-service delivery.

Responsibilities

Manage assignments with initiative, accuracy, discretion, and sound judgment under limited supervision.
Understand the role’s scope and boundaries and recognize when guidance, coordination, or escalation to counsel or another appropriate resource is needed.
Review incoming requests for completeness, ambiguity, process requirements, and potential legal or business risk; obtain missing information and route matters under established procedures.
Identify potential legal, financial, operational, or reputational risks and involve counsel or leaders in significant strategic or tactical decisions, as appropriate.
Meet committed turnaround times and contribute to team, department, and company service and performance measures.
Communicate clearly, promptly, and professionally with internal and external stakeholders, adapting communication to the audience and circumstances.
Interact with external agencies, partners, and counsel within established parameters and with appropriate oversight.
Contribute as a team member on departmental and cross-functional projects.
Within authorized parameters and established guidance, review, draft, revise, and negotiate contract terms and conditions; identify issues and escalate matters requiring legal advice or additional approval.
Prepare and process contract extensions, amendments, and terminations; explain contract provisions; and coordinate input and approvals from relevant stakeholders.
Maintain accurate and complete contract records and systems and help resolve contract-related process or documentation issues.
Maintain working knowledge of company policies, guidelines, internal controls, authorization requirements, delegation-of-authority standards, contract approval and signature requirements, and third-party due diligence processes.
Use legal, company, and vendor systems effectively, including approved artificial intelligence and automation tools; identify opportunities to improve efficiency using technology, data, standardized workflows, and process simplification; and provide input, analysis, and testing support for technology or process changes.
Help coordinate communication between legal practice areas, business stakeholders, and the immediate team to support consistent and effective service delivery.
Partner with team members to balance workload, provide backup support, share accountability, and promote continuity and business resilience.
Participate in knowledge transfer, cross-training, and continuous improvement; share best practices and apply experience and institutional knowledge to improve team capability and work processes.
Contribute to a professional, collaborative, and inclusive work environment that values diverse perspectives, candid communication, learning, and shared success.

Benefits

Equitable and market-competitive base pay and bonus opportunity, along with locally relevant incentives.
Programs supporting physical, mental, financial, and social well-being.
Competitive retirement program that may include company-provided benefits, savings opportunities, financial planning, and educational resources.
Employee stock purchase programs, with availability varying by location.
Student Debt Retirement Savings Match Program for U.S. employees.
Medical and life insurance packages with coverage options; travel insurance is available in certain countries or locations.
Training, mentoring, work experiences, community involvement, and team-building opportunities.
Role-based workplace flexibility to support productivity and personal needs.
Competitive yearly vacation allowance.
Paid time off for new parents, including birthing and non-birthing, adoptive, and foster parents.
Paid time off to care for sick or injured family members.
Paid time off to support volunteering and Employee Resource Group participation.
Wellbeing Portal for Dow employees.
On-site fitness facilities, depending on location.
Employee discounts, including online shopping, cinema tickets, and gym memberships.
Some locations may offer transportation allowances, meal subsidies or vouchers, and carbon-neutral transportation incentives.