ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

Paralegal, Contracts

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals$97K — $122K *
Legal & Accounting
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of corporate or contracts paralegal experience
  • Experience in commercial contract review, drafting, negotiation, and administration
  • Proficient in using electronic contract management systems
  • Skilled in Microsoft Office applications
  • Certification in paralegal studies is preferred
  • Familiarity with legal principles and contract terminology is beneficial
  • Experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology sectors is a plus

Responsibilities

  • Review and draft a high volume of various commercial contracts
  • Evaluate contract compliance with company policies and legal requirements
  • Coordinate with business partners and legal counsel regarding contract negotiations
  • Manage contract requests through their lifecycle from review to filing
  • Gather and analyze information to assist in contract preparation
  • Prepare and edit legal forms and documents for accuracy
  • Maintain organized and accurate contract records in digital systems

Benefits

  • Competitive base salary plus bonuses and equity awards
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Employer-covered life and disability insurance
  • 401(k) plan with matching contributions
  • Employee stock purchase plan with a locked-in price
  • Generous vacation and paid holiday allowances
  • Paid sick leave and parental leave programs
  • Tuition assistance for continuing education
Full Job Description
Position Summary:

The Paralegal, Contracts provides essential support to Acadia's contracts group by reviewing, revising, drafting, and administering a broad range of commercial agreements. Working under the supervision of an attorney, this role collaborates with legal counsel and business partners to facilitate timely contract review, maintain accurate records, and help ensure agreements align with company policies and applicable master agreements.

Typical agreements include consulting agreements, vendor agreements, confidentiality disclosure agreements, statements of work, and amendments. This opportunity is well suited for an experienced contracts paralegal who thrives in a high-volume legal environment and is interested in supporting a mission-driven biopharmaceutical organization.

Primary Responsibilities:
  • Review, revise, and assist with drafting a high volume of contracts, including consulting agreements, vendor agreements, confidentiality disclosure agreements, statements of work, and amendments
  • Evaluate contract terms for alignment with company policies, legal requirements, and applicable master agreements
  • Coordinate with internal business partners, external legal counsel, and other stakeholders to address non-standard contract terms and facilitate approvals
  • Manage and track contract requests throughout the review, negotiation, execution, and filing processes
  • Gather, organize, analyze, and validate information from multiple sources to prepare contracts and related materials for legal review
  • Prepare, review, and edit correspondence, legal forms, memoranda, and contract documents for accuracy and completeness
  • Maintain accurate contract records and electronic filing systems, including contract lifecycle management platforms
  • Support contract-related projects and administrative activities as directed by the contracts group
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Education/Experience/Skills:
  • Bachelor's degree and a minimum of five years of corporate or contracts paralegal experience, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and applicable professional experience
  • Demonstrated experience reviewing, drafting, negotiating, and administering a variety of commercial contracts and related documents
  • Experience using electronic contract management systems
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications

Preferred Qualifications
  • Certificate in paralegal studies
  • Knowledge of legal principles, legal research methods, and contract terminology
  • Experience with AI-enabled legal or contract management solutions
  • Experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry

Physical Requirements:

This role involves regular standing, walking, sitting, and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment. The employee may also need to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and maintain visual, verbal, and auditory communication both in a standard office environment and while working independently from remote locations. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. This position requires the ability to travel independently overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedule or business needs.

In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location.

Salary Range

$97,800-$122,300 USD

What we offer US-based Employees:
  • Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage
  • 401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in
  • 15+ vacation days
  • 13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st
  • 10 days of paid sick time
  • Paid parental leave benefit
  • Tuition assistance

About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines to address unmet medical needs in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The company's lead product, Nuplazid (pimavanserin), is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease psychosis. ACADIA's pipeline includes product candidates for the treatment of schizophrenia, dementia-related psychosis, and major depressive disorder. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Learn more about ACADIA Pharmaceuticals
Size
500 employees
Market Cap
$2.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$281.5 million
Founded
1993
5 Year Trend
+94.6%
Revenue
$441.7 million
NASDAQ

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