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.
08/11/2026 Safe Harbor Wills & Trusts is seeking an experienced Probate & Estate Administration Paralegal to help support our growing probate practice. Currently, this is set as a contract position, but could develop into a full-time position for the right candidate. We are looking for someone who can step into existing active files , quickly determine where each matter stands, identify what needs to happen next, and move the file toward completion with limited attorney supervision. This is not an entry-level position . Candidates must have hands-on probate and estate administration experience and be comfortable working independently.
Compensation:
$50,000 - $55,000 -yearly.
Responsibilities:
Review existing probate and estate administration files and determine status Identify missing documents, filings, signatures, and next steps Prepare Surrogate's Court petitions, waivers, consents, affidavits, notices, receipts and releases Follow up with clients, fiduciaries, beneficiaries, courts, and financial institutions Assist with asset collection, transfers, distributions, inventories, and accountings Move stalled or aging files toward completion Maintain clear file notes and task lists Identify issues requiring attorney involvement
Qualifications:
Must have great time-management skills, and organizational skills Candidates who have completed a paralegal professional certification or have advanced paralegal education will receive preference 3 years of experience in legal services under an attorney or lawyer in a law firm setting Strong oral and written communication skills Significant probate and estate administration experience Ability to take over existing matters with minimal supervision Strong organizational and follow-up skills Ability to manage multiple active files Excellent written and client communication skills New York Surrogate's Court experience strongly preferred The right candidate should be able to open a file and quickly answer: Where are we? What is missing? What needs to happen next? About Company We are a growing estate planning and elder law firm helping families throughout Central and Northern New York. Our Medicaid team helps families facing one of the most stressful situations of their lives: figuring out how to pay for long-term care without unnecessarily losing everything they have worked for. If you enjoy organizing complicated information, solving problems, and doing work that genuinely helps families, we'd like to hear from you.
