Entry Level Probate Paralegal for Boutique Art & Estate Law Firm

A bout the Firm The Law Office of Elizabeth Devolder is a growing boutique law practice that focuses on Estate Planning, Probate, Elder Law, Trust Administration Special Needs Planning, Art Law, Litigation, Guardianship and Asset Protection. We are dedicated to our clients and our employees. 1. We welcome candidates with little or no prior legal experience, or who may have a career gap. Administrative employees, executive assistants, project managers, or recent graduates with a business administration degree and family managers capable of leading and directing a project through a series of tasks all have relevant experience to this job. Prior office experience preferred and strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office and computer applications is essential. 2. We are a woman-owned firm that values a healthy work environment: collaborative vision, team comradery, individual growth and personal development, and work life balance, along with excellent work performance . Position/Ideal Candidate Our paralegal/probate case manager will work to manage the progress of our probate cases through the courts, preparing documents, requesting information from clients, answering requests from judges and judicial assistants, and ensuring we meet deadlines set by the court and by statute. They will need to understand the workflow of a typical case, and timely prepare pleadings for submission to the courts, as well as be able to problem-solve the unique issues that may arise with any client. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills to assist existing clients with a process that the clients typically aren't familiar with. The ideal candidate will help clients know what information to assemble and when to provide it to us. The will research the requirements of statutes, procedural rules, specific courts and judges to ensure our documents and court submissions comply. They will provide knowledgeable and compassionate client service, anticipate operational and client needs, draft accurate legal documents, and help manage the law firm's workflow. We are looking for someone with a positive, can-do attitude, patience, attention to detail, and who cares about the accuracy and integrity of their work. We are looking for someone who our clients will enjoy working with, but who can also have difficult conversations with them and can follow up with clients to ensure they meet the requirements of the law - even when they are busy or grieving. We seek a team player willing to pitch in on office-wide tasks, which includes serving as a witness to document signings, answering the phone, preparing evidence for litigation, etc. It is essential that the right candidate has high integrity to work with highly confidential documents for important clients and legal matters. We are looking for a candidate that will learn the job, identify improvements, and take charge of ensuring cases proceed in a timely manner through the court system. Pay will increase with experience and upon demonstrating value to the firm.

Duties:

Drafts initial legal documents for probate and litigation cases; Maintains Client Files, including client information, court documents, and completed and upcoming tasks; Monitors case progress, ensuring cases are moving in a timely manner through the appropriate steps; Meets court deadlines, identifies delays and their causes, resolves problems to ensure progress; Communicates with clients, opposing counsels, opposing parties, and judicial assistants to coordinate depositions, mediations, hearings, and discovery; Files court documents in a timely manner; Provides notice via process server or certified mail to all interested parties according to statute and procedural rules; Manages documents online (and in hard-copy binders when required) to ensure the attorneys have the information they need for hearings and client meetings; Propound, respond to and organize discovery, working with clients to ensure we have appropriate and timely responses to discovery requests and working with our attorneys to ensure we send out discovery requests and receive the appropriate answers in a timely manner; Sort through data to identify key facts; Organize pages in .pdf files using Adobe Acrobat, and redact documents when necessary; Prioritize tasks to ensure client needs and court deadlines are met; Assist in greeting and directing callers by answering telephone calls from clients; determining nature and urgency of business, directing callers to appropriate destination, and performs intake of new clients; Assist in welcoming visitors to the office by greeting them; answering and referring questions.

Skills/Qualifications:

Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, with a concentration in Microsoft Word; Strong attention to detail, with an eye on accuracy; Good oral and written communication skills; Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment; Maintains good relations and professionalism with clients; Ability to research procedural rules and judicial requirements; Ability to problem-solve and positively project the firm to new and existing clients; Ability to multi-task, manage calendars and scheduling, meet deadlines and Excellent organizational skills. The starting pay is determined based on experience, but will range between $20-$25 per hour with a 90-day probational period. After the 90-day probational period, the candidate will receive 5 paid holidays, 5 personal days, and 10 vacation days to be used over the next calendar year. The position includes semi-annual reviews, and excellent performance will be rewarded with additional salary increases as the needs of the business allow. We promote from within.

Pay:

$20.00 - $25.00 per hour

Work Location:

In person