What are the responsibilities and job description for the Post-Baccalaureate Paralegal position at Colby College?
Job Description
Department:
VP, General Counsel, and Secretary of the College
Pay Rate Type:
Salary
Employee Type:
Job Summary:
Colby College invites a relationship-driven, detail-oriented, post-baccalaureate professional to join our expanding Office of General Counsel via this inaugural role. The qualified candidate will assist the Office of General Counsel on a wide range of substantive legal matters, and possess exceptional research, writing, drafting, reasoning, and communication skills along with an eagerness to learn in this team-oriented higher education community. The ideal candidate will have an innate curiosity and a drive to understand the broader context of their work. This is an opportunity to transition from an academic mindset to a professional one, becoming an active and valued member of the Colby community. Recent graduates with a strong academic, writing and research background and interest in law are encouraged to apply!
Working independently with a high degree of responsibility, the Paralegal’s key responsibilities will include:
- Drafting, reviewing and revising transactional and litigation documentation, including contracts, real estate and business instruments, pleadings, policies, motions and resolutions while improving and building upon existing contract and other templates;
- Reviewing, drafting, and managing contracts under the supervision of attorneys in the General Counsel, ensuring that contracts align with Colby’s policies and relevant legal requirements, assisting with contract negotiation and revision, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders on the contract review and management process;
- Conducting legal and factual research, and summarizing findings and analyses of research cogently and comprehensively, both verbally and in writing;
- Responding to subpoenas and records requests, including obtaining responsive documents from departments across the College;
- Producing claim and matter tracking reports, calendaring compliance and other relevant deadlines, and creating and maintaining a dashboard to track and assess the capacity, efficiency and impact of the Office of General Counsel;
- Gathering, compiling, and organizing documents and data while creating and maintaining records repositories and filing systems;
- Developing and implementing a strategy to create a centralized repository for all resources, ensuring a streamlined and efficient process for document management and retrieval;
- Facilitating the organization, migration to and maintenance of the Office’s matters within a comprehensive document management system;
- Interfacing with outside counsel and paraprofessionals on legal matters affecting the College;
- Supporting the Office of General Counsel in managing its Undergraduate Law and Governance Clerk program including, without limitation, managing the hiring and on-boarding process, delegating and supervising assignments, and meeting regularly with the Clerk about their performance, project management and skill development;
- Representing the Office of General Counsel on internal College committees, task forces, and official meetings;
- Continuing to develop relevant professional knowledge and competencies through seminars, conferences, and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest developments in higher education law and in other areas relevant to the Paralegal’s goals and responsibilities;
- Upholding the absolute trust, confidence, and respect of the General Counsel's Office in all interactions and communications.
- Demonstrating self-motivation and intellectual curiosity, proactively seeking to understand the broader legal implications of specific matters and taking initiative to learn.
- Functioning as an independent thinker, who is proactive in contributing insightful observations, creative solutions, and valuable perspectives to the legal team.
- Additional relevant duties as assigned.
Candidate Qualifications
- Qualified candidates will have recently completed a Bachelor's Degree;
- Demonstrate interest in a career in a law or law-related field;
- Prior internship, volunteer experience in a legal setting such as in-house, law firm or higher education environment is a plus, but not required;
- Demonstrated ability to anticipate project needs, independently discern work priorities and problem solve, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision;
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively;
- Sound writing, detail-orientation, and time management skills;
- Exceptional interpersonal, communication, leadership and organizational skills;
- Strong self-evaluation skills with an ability to accept and act on feedback;
- A commitment to continuous learning and professional development;
- Demonstrated computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Google Education Suite, Adobe and legal research platforms;
- The ability and willingness to provide excellent service and to work in a collegial manner with a diverse range of client representative offices, attorneys, faculty, staff, and other constituencies is essential.
Working Conditions
- Little travel is expected for this position. Any travel will primarily occur during the business day. Hybrid (remote) work arrangements will be considered.
Candidates applying before 8/30/25 will be given priority consideration for this opportunity.
