Paralegal

Position Summary:

This Paralegal will be responsible for the preparation and management of guardianship and conservatorship pleadings for a very active practice including providing guidance to clients in obtaining the appropriate medical documentation, providing service on interested parties, preparing care plan reports, timely filing pleadings, managing annual "rogers renewals" filings and working with the various county probate courts effectively. The Paralegal should be well-versed in various probate processes, timing considerations and other requirements for all such proceedings. The Paralegal will also support busy special needs practices and assist with matters of adult service advocacy and government benefits advocacy. The Paralegal must be able to work independently but have the judgment to collaborate with attorneys as needed. The Paralegal must have good organizational skills, strong technological skills and superior communication skills.

Day Pitney's lawyers and staff work collaboratively in a team environment across all offices sharing significant client contact; accordingly, the Paralegal must be willing to mentor and be mentored. In addition, the Paralegal must be able to interact with and show compassion to individuals navigating significant challenges with a loved one who are under a great deal of stress. In general, the position requires excellent communication, personal skills and client service. Other requisite attributes for this position include effective judgment managing information, the ability to oversee and meet deadlines in a fast-paced work environment, the ability to multitask while adapting to changes in priorities and the ability to adapt to changes in technology and processes.

Responsibilities:

• Preparing various probate and estate administration pleadings including those for guardianship, rogers authority, conservatorship petitions;
• Communicating with clients, rogers counsel, medical personnel and court personnel;
• Preparing accountings for both estates and trusts, including identifying, gathering, and valuing assets;
• Reviewing and interpreting wills and trust agreements, in collaboration with attorneys, so as to implement and administer the estate and trust process;
• Managing a docket system and tracking deadlines; and
• Although attorneys generally research issues of law, the paralegal must be able to use reference materials and perform basic research using a variety of resources.

Education and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree and paralegal certification (or equivalent);
• Familiarity with procedures of Probate Courts and regulatory agencies preferred;
• Experience working with Microsoft Office resources (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), with PDF software and related scanning and production utilities, and document management software;
• Ability to learn and use advanced software programs and new technology and have a desire to seek and attend training to improve skills; and
• Good understanding of basic business relationships and client confidentiality principles.