Paralegal

Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., is a global pharmaceutical company based in Japan with operations in the U.S. (Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.), focused on addressing patient needs in oncology, urology, women's health, rare diseases, cell & gene therapies and CNS. With several marketed products and a diverse pipeline of early- to late-stage investigational assets, we aim to accelerate discovery, research, and development to bring novel therapies to patients sooner. For more information on SMPA, visit our website https://www.us.sumitomo-pharma.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Job Overview:

This position reports to Senior Counsel in the Corporate Law department which supports the execution of legal and operational activities, enabling the company to operate efficiently, ethically, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulation. The role partners closely with attorneys, legal operations, and cross‑functional stakeholders to ensure consistent processes, accurate records, and effective use of legal systems and resources.

Essential Functions Required for Job

• Assist in managing corporate governance activities, including annual filings and maintenance of state and local business licenses.
• Track, file, and coordinate intercompany agreements, including drafting and managing related work orders;
• Support litigation matters by implementing and administering legal holds, tracking acknowledgments, and maintaining legal hold records.
• Review and manage a broad range of contracts, including CDAs, vendor agreements, amendments, SOWs, and outside counsel engagement letters.
• Provide project management support for AI and technology initiatives, including tracking system enhancements and other legal technology projects.
• Assist in managing the privacy management system and facilitate cross‑functional collaboration to support privacy compliance efforts, and provide general support to the Privacy Team.
• Support the Corporate Law team for budget, including forecasting, tracking spend, and overseeing accruals.
• Oversee vendor management for the legal team, serving as the primary point of contact for external providers.
• Support the Legal team’s contract management system, serving as the primary contact for training, troubleshooting, and user enablement.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (general & technical):

• Working knowledge of basic corporate legal and legal operations processes, including contracts, governance, litigation support, and compliance activities.
• Ability to follow established procedures and support legal workflows with accuracy and consistency.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills to manage multiple tasks and deadlines with supervision.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for professional interaction with attorneys, internal partners, and vendors.
• Proficiency with business systems and technology, including document management, workflow, and standard office tools.
• High level of attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records and tracking documentation.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Ability to work both independently on assigned tasks and collaboratively within a cross‑functional team, escalating issues as appropriate.

Education & Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required; paralegal certificate or legal operations coursework preferred.
• 2–4 years of relevant experience supporting a corporate legal department, law firm, or professional services environment.
• Foundational experience assisting with corporate legal operations, such as contract administration, entity management, litigation support, compliance tracking, or legal records management.
• Experience working with legal systems or enterprise tools (e.g., ServiceNow, contract management systems, privacy/compliance platforms, or procurement/e‑billing tools such as Coupa).
• Demonstrated ability to support attorneys and legal team members by coordinating workflows, maintaining documentation, and managing multiple tasks in a deadline‑driven environment. Experience collaborating with cross‑functional partners and external vendors under guidance, with escalating issues as appropriate.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.

Travel Requirements:

Primarily remote role with periodic on-site meetings in office. Must be able to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Mental/Physical Requirements:

Fast-paced environment handling multiple demands is involved. Must be able to exercise appropriate judgment as necessary. Requires a high level of initiative and independence. Excellent written and oral communication skills required. Requires ability to use a personal computer for extended periods of time.

People Management

This is an individual contributor role and does not have direct reports or formal people‑management responsibilities.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

Confidential Data: All information (written, verbal, electronic, etc.) that an employee encounters is considered confidential.

Compliance: Achieve and maintain Compliance with all applicable regulatory, legal and operational rules and procedures, by ensuring that all plans and activities for and on behalf of Sumitomo Pharma America (SMPA) and affiliates are carried out with the "best" industry practices and the highest ethical standards.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Mental/Physical Requirements: Fast paced environment handling multiple demands. Must be able to exercise appropriate judgment as necessary. Requires a high level of initiative and independence. Excellent written and oral communication skills required. Requires ability to use a personal computer for extended periods of time.

Sumitomo Pharma America (SMPA) is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law.