Paralegal - AZ - Office of the General Counsel

Midwestern University • Glendale, AZ

14d • Onsite

About The Position

Midwestern University seeks a full-time Paralegal to work under the direction of the Sr. Paralegal. This position will report to the Vice President and General Counsel. The Paralegal serves as a key legal partner within the Office of the General Counsel and is expected to be highly skilled. This role independently negotiates complex contracts and institutional agreements, and participates in the development and governance of legal process improvements, including AI-enabled contract management tools. This position requires advanced judgment, strong negotiation capability, and the ability to operate with minimal supervision in a fast-paced, time-sensitive environment.

Requirements

• Ability to independently manage complex legal matters and competing priorities in a high-volume contracting environment.
• Advanced organizational, written, and oral communication skills.
• Strong knowledge of contract management principles and familiarity with healthcare, higher education, and technology-related agreements.
• Working knowledge of applicable regulatory frameworks, including HIPAA and FERPA.
• Ability to work concurrently on a wide variety of projects and work effectively with others.
• Ability to work independently and have the willingness to assist others as needed.
• Be reliable and dependable.
• Bachelor’s degree, American Bar Association Paralegal Certification from an accredited institution and a minimum of two years relevant experience in corporate/contract administration and litigation.
• Advanced knowledge of Word, Outlook, Excel, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, NetDocuments, AI-enabled platforms, electronic signature processing platforms (Docusign), and computerized legal research systems.

Responsibilities

• Independently review, negotiate and edit complex agreements with minimal attorney oversight, ensuring alignment with University’s legal requirements, regulatory obligations, institutional policies and risk tolerance. Agreements include, but are not limited to, affiliation agreements (pre-doctoral, internship and residency), faculty placement agreements, special event contracts, subsidized student housing lease agreements, facility use agreements, software license agreements, and business associate agreements.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for contract negotiations with external parties, exercising advanced negotiation skills to balance legal risk with operational needs.
• Apply advanced legal judgment to identify, assess and escalate complex legal, regulatory or operational risks to in-house general counsel and internal stakeholders as appropriate.
• Administer the contract lifecycle management process, including intake, tracking, version control, execution, compliance documentation, and long-term archiving across NetDocuments, centralized affiliation agreement database, and hardcopy records.
• Proactively manage contract workflows, providing regular status updates and serving as a liaison between the Office of the General Counsel, internal stakeholders and external parties to ensure timely execution.
• Assist with the management and expansion of University’s affiliation agreements, including coordinating multi-college/program coverage, extending placement opportunities, and proactively addressing expiring or terminating agreements to maintain continuity of student clinical placements.
• Design, develop and deliver agreement processing training for Midwestern University faculty and staff related to affiliation agreements and special event contracting, ensuring compliance with internal policies and procedures.
• Advise University Colleges/Programs on appropriate contract structures, approvals and compliance requirements for on- and off-campus events, many of which involve strict timelines and heightened University exposure.
• Continuously strive to improve and streamline contract review, reduce turnaround time, and improve service delivery by the Office of the General Counsel.
• Serves as the Office of the General Counsel lead for AI-enabled legal playbooks, overseeing the design, implementation, validation, and governance of AI tools used for compliant drafting, review, and negotiation of agreements.
• Provide litigation support as assigned, which may include organizing case files, managing document production, coordinating discovery materials, tracking deadlines, and assisting with trial or hearing preparation.
• Support risk management functions as directed, including assistance with incident documentation, claims tracking, coordination with internal departments, and maintaining related records.
• Assist with the administration of Midwestern University’s insurance programs, as needed, including maintaining policy documentation, such as certificates of insurance, tracking renewals as they relate to affiliation agreements, coordinating information requests, and supporting communications with brokers or carriers.
• Provide support for other transactional matters as directed, which may include organizing and maintaining contract files, assisting with document review, tracking approvals and execution status, and coordinating information needed for transactions.
• Support corporate governance matters as assigned, including assistance with maintaining governance records, organizing board and committee materials, tracking approvals and actions, and supporting compliance with recordkeeping requirements.
• Maintain organized legal files, databases, and records to ensure accurate documentation and timely access to information.
• Coordinate and manage workflow within the Office of the General Counsel, including tracking assignments, deadlines, and deliverables to support efficient operations.
• Assist with routine legal research, document review, and preparation of drafts, summaries, or reports under attorney supervision.
• Support communications with internal stakeholders and external parties, as directed, to facilitate the timely exchange of information.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the Office of General Counsel’s strategic objectives.

Benefits

• medical insurance
• dental insurance
• vision insurance
• life insurance
• short/long term disability
• pet insurance
• flexible spending accounts including healthcare reimbursement and child/dependent care account
• competitive time off package including paid holidays, sick/flex days, personal days and vacation days
• 403(b) retirement plan
• tuition reimbursement
• child care subsidy reimbursement program
• identity theft protection
• employee assistance program
• wellness facility on-site with a fully equipped fitness facility

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level