Paralegal

Job description

At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we’re passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet.  

Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We’re a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you’re looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you’re in the right place.

About you and this role  

Dow has an exciting opportunity for a Paralegal in Midland, MI.  In this role, you will provide operational support to paralegals, attorneys, and other legal professionals in Dow Legal, with primary support for Innovation Law docketing activities, as a member of the Core Legal Practices – Technology & Operations team. 

You will provide critical technology, systems, and operations support to Core Legal Practices and Commercial & Innovation Law, including but not limited to, patent, trademark, copyright, and related intellectual property processes. You will support accurate legal operations data, efficient case administration, formal documentation, patent docketing and filing activities, and collaboration with internal teams, external vendors, counsel, agents, and records contacts. Success in this role requires strong attention to detail, sound judgment, initiative, systems proficiency, and the ability to support process consistency, team continuity, and operational effectiveness across Legal and the broader Company. 

General responsibilities

• Maintain a clear understanding of role responsibilities, including scope, boundaries, and appropriate escalation points. 

• Complete assignments with initiative, attention to detail, and sound discretion under moderate supervision. 

• Exercise logical judgment by recognizing when guidance, coordination, or escalation is needed. 

• Contribute as an engaged member of the team by delivering legal support services within established parameters, procedures, and oversight. 

• Participate in knowledge transfer, cross-training, and shared learning activities by sharing knowledge, experience, and best practices to strengthen team capability, effectiveness, continuity, and business resilience. 

• Partner effectively with team members to balance workload, provide backup support, and share accountability for any joint/shared responsibilities. 

• Maintain working knowledge of applicable Company policies, guidelines, and internal controls, including authorization, delegation of authority, agreement approval/signature guidelines, and third-party due diligence requirements, among others. 

• Maintain proficiency in Legal, Company, and vendor systems used to support assigned responsibilities; engage subject matter experts, as needed, to ensure alignment with current best practices and recommended use. 
• Apply creativity to solve problems or to develop/suggest new or improved processes and proactively identify and suggest changes which enhance the team's effectiveness and productivity.  

Specific Responsibilities

• Support U.S. and international patent docketing and filing operations by providing docketing services for patents and oppositions, maintaining IPMS patent law updates and related docketing impacts, processing new filing requests, and coordinating abandonment processing for patents not linked to contracts. 
• Read and analyze all incoming client mail (including U.S. Mail, e-mail, courier packages, faxes) for the IP Case Team that relates to patent matters to determine due dates or reminder dates that need to be entered into the IPMS and annotates docketing entries as appropriate. 
• Collaborate with internal teams, records center contacts, external vendors, and other third parties to support case administration; maintain work processes aligned with U.S. and international patent and trademark office requirements; manage incoming case mail and sold-patent correspondence; process country-specific working statements; and coordinate job folder, agreement, and patent retention/discard activities and projects. 
• Maintain accurate operations data, system records, reference resources, and authority documentation by performing data integrity reviews, company name audits, Secretary’s file maintenance, firm/agent and Dow entity/subsidiary updates, delegation of authority table maintenance, U.S. and European applicant list reviews, and updates to Powers of Attorney. Investigate and perform research using external sources, as necessary.
• Review and process formal patent and trademark documentation, including formal papers, assignment transfers, required signatures, and legalizations or apostilles. 
• Proactively communicates to Innovation Case team whenever a potential issue is spotted or if a quick response is required to maintain application’s and/or patent’s status at the PTO. 
• Utilizes all tools/systems required by practice area, both internal to Dow and external (including those hosted by government agencies and offices). 

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of an associate degree OR 2 years of relevant work experience such as paralegal, legal professional, intellectual property, docketing, or comparable deadline-driven experience.
• A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States.  No visa sponsorship/support is available for this position, including for any type of U.S. permanent residency (green card) process.

Skills

• Attention to Detail: Ensures accuracy and completeness in legal documents, records, filing, and administrative work.
• Organization: Maintains files, correspondence, documentation, and work requests in a structured and efficient manner.
• Time Management: Balances multiple priorities and consistently meets legal deadlines and other commitments.
• Communication: Exchanges information effectively through written, verbal, and digital channels.
• Initiative: Takes ownership, proactively identifies work needs, and seeks guidance when appropriate.
• Collaboration: Partners effectively with colleagues and contributes positively to team objectives.

Additional Notes

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Benefits – What Dow offers you 

We invest in you. 
 

Dow invests in total rewards programs to help you manage all aspects of you: your pay, your health, your life, your future, and your career. You bring your background, talent, and perspective to work every day. Dow rewards that commitment by investing in your total wellbeing.  

Here are just a few highlights of what you would be offered as a Dow employee: 

• Equitable and market-competitive base pay and bonus opportunity across our global markets, along with locally relevant incentives. 
• Benefits and programs to support your physical, mental, financial, and social well-being, to help you get the care you need...when you need it. 
• Competitive retirement program that may include company-provided benefits, savings opportunities, financial planning, and educational resources to help you achieve your long term financial-goals. 
  • Employee stock purchase programs (availability varies depending on location).
• Student Debt Retirement Savings Match Program (U.S. only).
  • Dow will take the value of monthly student debt payments and apply them as if they are contributions to the Employees’ Savings Plan (401(k)), helping employees reach the Company match.
• Robust medical and life insurance packages that offer a variety of coverage options to meet your individual needs. Travel insurance is also available in certain countries/locations.
• Opportunities to learn and grow through training and mentoring, work experiences, community involvement and team building. 
• Workplace culture empowering role-based flexibility to maximize personal productivity and balance personal needs. 
• Competitive yearly vacation allowance.
• Paid time off for new parents (birthing and non-birthing, including adoptive and foster parents).  
• Paid time off to care for family members who are sick or injured.  
• Paid time off to support volunteering and Employee Resource Group’s (ERG) participation. 
• Wellbeing Portal for all Dow employees, our one-stop shop to promote wellbeing, empowering employees to take ownership of their entire wellbeing journey.
• On-site fitness facilities to help stay healthy and active (availability varies depending on location).
• Employee discounts for online shopping, cinema tickets, gym memberships and more.
• Additionally, some of our locations might offer:
  • Transportation allowance (availability varies depending on location)
  • Meal subsidiaries/vouchers (availability varies depending on location)
  • Carbon-neutral transportation incentives e.g. bike to work (availability varies depending on location)

Join our team, we can make a difference together.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. ​​​​Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

As part of our dedication to inclusion, Dow is committed to equal opportunities in employment. We encourage every employee to bring their whole self to work each day to not only deliver more value, but also have a more fulfilling career. Further information regarding Dow's equal opportunities is available on www.dow.com.