Position Summary:
The Senior Commercial Paralegal will play a key role in supporting the Legal Department with a primary focus on commercial contracting and transactional matters. This position will be responsible for managing the contract lifecycle, assisting with contract negotiations, and serving as a liaison between the Legal Department and internal business units. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience supporting in-house legal teams, particularly in the energy or related industries, and possess a high level of professionalism, organization, and judgment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Draft, review, and revise a variety of commercial agreements, including fuel supply agreements, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), franchise agreements, incentive contracts, and contract amendments.
- Support attorneys in contract negotiations with vendors, suppliers, franchisees, and other third parties.
- Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., Procurement, Operations, Finance, and Compliance) to gather information, ensure contract accuracy, and align on business terms.
- Manage the contract lifecycle, including tracking key dates, renewals, and obligations using contract management tools.
- Maintain and update contract templates, clause libraries, and internal playbooks.
- Conduct legal research and provide summaries or guidance on applicable regulations, contractual issues, and legal trends affecting the energy industry.
- Coordinate with outside counsel as needed and manage related documentation.
- Provide guidance and mentorship to junior legal team members or contract administrators.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree required; Paralegal Certificate from an ABA-accredited program strongly preferred.
- Minimum of 6-8 years of paralegal experience, with a strong focus on commercial contracts in a corporate legal department.
- Prior experience in the energy, utilities, or infrastructure sectors preferred.
- Demonstrated experience working with fuel supply agreements, NDAs, franchise agreements, incentive contracts, and contract amendments.
- Familiarity with contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools and legal operations best practices.
- Excellent attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines.
- Professional communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
- High degree of discretion, integrity, and accountability.