Paralegal

Using living cells to treat – and sometimes even cure – cancer is one of the most dramatic advances in modern medicine. Patients with hematologic malignancies have been successfully treated with cell therapies. However, these profound results have not yet been achieved in patients with solid tumors, representing approximately 90% of all cancers. And for patients with hematologic malignancies, there is a need for next-generation cell therapies that can deliver increased response rates and longer duration of response.  We are a clinical-stage company advancing a pipeline of next-generation CAR T-cell therapies for patients with solid tumors or hematologic malignancies. Lyell’s product candidates are enhanced with novel technology designed to generate T cells that resist exhaustion and have qualities of durable stemness in order to drive durable tumor cytotoxicity and achieve consistent and long-lasting clinical response. We were founded by cell therapy pioneers whose decades of research elevated the broader understanding of T-cell biology and its interaction with cancer. In our quest to advance next-generation CAR T-cell therapies, we have built a fully integrated company capable of discovering new technologies, translating science into therapies, manufacturing cell therapy products, and clinically evaluating them in patients. Our culture is based on Science, Respect, Collaboration, and Courage and reflects who we are, the environment we create, and our mission's urgency. 

The Paralegal is responsible for a broad range of legal, corporate, public company reporting and healthcare and corporate compliance duties to support the company’s needs. The Paralegal will deliver confident and proactive support, work collaboratively as well as independently and be comfortable with, and skilled in, interacting with senior management and employees at all levels throughout the company. This role will lead the continuous improvement of legal operations to optimize processes and drive efficiency.  This position reports directly to the Deputy General Counsel and may be based in South San Francisco or Seattle (at either the Downtown or Bothell location).

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage the company’s contract database and ensure accurate regular reporting to Finance
• Draft, review and negotiate standard agreements and playbooks under attorney supervision, including master services agreements, confidentiality agreements and consulting agreements

• Support the maintenance of corporate insurance policies and renewals

• Assist with preparation and filing of SEC reports and support the company’s compliance with applicable public company reporting requirements
• Support the company’s healthcare compliance and data privacy and security programs, including FMV, spend tracking, compliance checks and employee training
• Drive development of standardized legal team processes
• Assist with legal team project management
• Proactively support operational functions within the company, including Clinical Operations, HR, Finance, IT and Medical Affairs
• Collaborate with outside counsel and other third party service providers, as needed, and manage external spend efficiently
• Assist management decision-making by providing informed assessments and preparing risk summaries for attorney review
• Maintain attorney-client privilege and handle confidential and material non-public information with discretion

PREFERRED EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree and paralegal certification (or extensive experience in lieu of certification) 

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

• 8+ years overall, with 5+ years of related experience working as a Paralegal in a life sciences environment and/or a top-tier law firm representing life sciences clients
• Broad experience working with different functional teams; prior experience with an expanding organization during its growth phase
• Highly effective organization skills to successfully manage wide-ranging workload and projects
• Proven ability to interact effectively with all levels of an organization
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, legal AI tools, contract management databases and other customary applications
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to be both an “architect” and a “plumber” – to see the big picture and to execute it
• Entrepreneurial spirit and growth mindset
• Able and willing to take on additional roles and functions to support the law department
• and company operations
• Detail-oriented and organized
• Strong sense of ownership for projects and results and passionate about their work
• Self-starter with demonstrated ability to work independently and make sound decisions quickly
• Strong analytical and presentation skills
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing clearly and effectively
• Strong collaboration skills with a desire to bring out the best in others and elevate colleagues’ performance
• Analytical mindset with good problem-solving skills
• Ability to work effectively to identify issues, gather relevant data points, assess risks and provide solution-based recommendations