Paralegal - Estate Planning - Bodman PLC

Description

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with attorneys and other team members in all stages of estate planning, wealth transfers and estate and trust administration.
• Handle various aspects of trust and estate administration, including preparing and filing probate pleadings, as well as preparing beneficiary and creditor notices, inventories, accountings and tax documents.
• Prepare and file deeds and property transfer affidavits.
• Prepare routine estate planning documents such as financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney, and other ancillary documents.
• Assist with preparation of Form 706 Estate Tax Return and Form 709 Gift Tax Returns. 
• Assist with forming entities, including preparation and filing of formation documents and obtaining taxpayer identification numbers from IRS.
• Assists with annual entity reports and other state and local filings for the maintenance of client entities and applicable business registrations.
• Communicate with clients and other parties to obtain information and documentation needed to prepare entity, real estate, estate planning, and probate documents.
• Utilizes appropriate technology and software when applicable, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in all aspects of estate planning and trust and estate administration.
• Bachelor’s degree in related subject matter (i.e. finance, business, political science, legal administration).
• Knowledge of legal principles and practices at a level normally acquired through formal paralegal training or its equivalent.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
• Strong attention to detail and project management skills.
• Ability to organize and prioritize numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints.
• Ability to proofread material for contextual, grammatical, typographical or spelling errors.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to communicate in person, by e-mail and telephone, follow instructions effectively from a diverse group of clients, attorneys and staff, and provide information with ordinary courtesy and tact.
• Work requires a high level of mental effort and strain while assisting with multiple client matters.
• Work occasionally requires more than 35 hours per week to perform the essential duties of the position; may require irregular hours.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment such as computer, fax machine, and photocopier.
• Ability to travel to private and public buildings, locally and statewide, to assist attorneys in attending to client needs on legal matters.