Senior Paralegal

$99,424 - $122,824/Yr

Akebia Therapeutics - Cambridge, MA

Full-time - Mid Level

Cambridge, MA

Ambulatory Health Care Services

About the position

At Akebia Therapeutics, we are dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). As a Senior Corporate and IP Paralegal, you will play a crucial role in supporting our legal and compliance team in various aspects of corporate governance and intellectual property management. This position offers a unique opportunity to engage with a dynamic team and contribute to the legal framework that supports our innovative therapeutics aimed at setting new standards of care for kidney disease patients. In this role, you will assist in the preparation and review of essential Board and committee materials, including agendas, minutes, resolutions, and written consents. You will also maintain corporate minute books and ensure compliance with governance policies and Committee charters. Your responsibilities will extend to managing state qualifications for the company and its subsidiaries, which includes filing annual reports and licenses, as well as preparing and maintaining all state Board of Pharmacy licenses. You will be responsible for IP docketing and deadlines, monitoring and updating information on all domestic and international IP cases in the IP docket database, and generating necessary reports. Additionally, you will assist in the collection of supporting documents for IP prosecution, including powers of attorney and IP assignments. Your role will also involve supporting financing and business development transactions, assisting with corporate diligence, and maintaining the data room. Furthermore, you will help organize and maintain contracts in our contracts database, ensuring that all legal documentation is accurate and up-to-date. This position requires a proactive individual who can thrive in a fast-paced environment and effectively communicate with various stakeholders across the organization. You will report directly to the SVP, Legal & General Counsel, and will have the opportunity to work on a wide range of business and legal issues within a commercial-stage biotech company.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the preparation and review of Board and committee materials, including agendas, minutes, resolutions, and written consents, and maintain corporate minute books.
• Assist with other corporate governance matters, including compliance with Committee charters and governance policies, collection and coordination of Board and Committee evaluations and director and officer questionnaires.
• Manage state qualifications for the company and its subsidiaries, including filing of annual reports and licenses.
• Prepare, file and maintain all state Board of Pharmacy licenses.
• Assist with stockholder meetings, including preparing written materials and coordinating with Transfer Agent.
• Responsible for IP docketing and deadlines, including monitoring and updating information on all domestic and international IP cases in the IP docket database and generating reports on IP docket database as needed.
• Assist with the collection of supporting documents for IP prosecution, including powers of attorney and IP assignments.
• Complete ad-hoc and special corporate and compliance projects as requested/required.
• Support financing and business development transactions, including assisting with corporate diligence and maintaining data room.
• Assist with organizing and maintaining contracts in contracts database.

Requirements

• 5 plus years of corporate paralegal experience, with a large law firm and/or publicly traded company
• Bachelor's degree

Nice-to-haves

• Paralegal certification
• Knowledge of corporate governance best practices and annual compliance; prior experience working on Board materials
• Strong project management skills, keen attention to detail and ability to prioritize multiple projects and priorities
• Ability to interact and communicate effectively internally with individuals from multiple departments at all levels of the organization and externally with multiple stakeholders
• Knowledge of patent and trademark prosecution procedures
• Knowledge of and experience with a patent docketing software (e.g. IPFolio) and USPTO filing and assignment system databases (EFS, EPAS)
• Strong computer skills and document preparation (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Excellent document drafting and proofreading skills, with high attention to detail
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Unquestioned discretion handling sensitive and confidential information
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with a contract management system (e.g. Conga)
• Notary license

Benefits

• Health care
• Vision
• Dental
• Retirement
• PTO
• Corporate bonus program or incentive compensation program (if applicable)
• Equity