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Probate Paralegal
Career Insights for Paralegal / Legal Assistant
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Scorecard
Based on North Carolina data
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What they do
A Paralegal or Legal Assistant assists attorneys and law offices with a variety of tasks ranging from administrative support to legal research and writing. Maintains and organizes files or file databases. Conducts legal or other background research, assists with preparation for trials or hearings, and drafts documents to be filed. Uses software for electronic discovery of materials such as email for a trial. May specialize in a particular area of the law such as corporate or criminal law, family law or real estate law.
$63,800 / year median in North Carolina
+7% projected growth
Job Description
- Assist attorneys with all stages of probate and estate administration, including opening, administering, and closing estates.
- Prepare, file, and monitor probate pleadings and court-required documents, including applications, petitions, notices, inventories, accountings, creditor documents, receipts, releases, and motions as needed.
- Prepare documents for electronic filing and communicate with the Clerk of Superior Court regarding filing requirements, hearings, deficiencies, and status updates.
- Calendar and monitor probate deadlines, notice periods, hearing dates, inventory and accounting due dates, creditor-claim periods, and estate-closing requirements.
- Communicate regularly and professionally with personal representatives, beneficiaries, heirs, creditors, courts, financial institutions, insurance companies, appraisers, real-estate professionals, and other interested parties.
- Gather, organize, and maintain records concerning estate assets, liabilities, income, expenses, creditor claims, tax-related information, distributions, and fiduciary actions.
- Assist with obtaining date-of-death values, account information, deeds, title records, beneficiary designations, and other documentation needed to identify, collect, manage, and distribute estate assets.
- Coordinate estate-asset transfers, sales, and distributions under attorney direction, including communications and documentation needed for banks, investment firms, insurers, and other asset custodians.
- Assist with creditor administration, including preparing notices, tracking claims, gathering supporting documentation, and maintaining claim-status records for attorney review.
- Maintain accurate, complete, and well-organized electronic and physical case files.
- Provide personal representatives with timely, clear, and compassionate guidance regarding required documents, responsibilities, and next steps.
- Draft professional correspondence, estate-administration documents, internal case summaries, and other materials with accuracy and attention to detail.
- Support attorneys with probate case management, status reporting, and related estate-administration projects. Qualifications The ideal candidate will have:
- At least three years of relevant paralegal experience, with substantial probate and estate-administration experience strongly preferred.
- Hands-on experience administering probate estates and electronically filing documents with North Carolina courts.
- Working knowledge of probate procedures, fiduciary duties, court deadlines, notices, inventories, accountings, creditor claims, asset administration, distributions, and estate-closing requirements.
- Experience preparing probate filings, legal documents, and professional correspondence.
- A paralegal degree, associate degree, or significant relevant paralegal experience.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple estate matters, competing deadlines, and detailed financial and court records.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- A professional, compassionate approach to working with families who may be grieving or navigating difficult circumstances.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Outlook.
- The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with attorneys and other team members.
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Health insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off Schedule
- Eight-hour day shift
- Monday through Friday
- No nights
- No weekends Education A paralegal degree or associate degree is preferred.