Large law firm with a diverse practice group needs a Legal Project Assistant (Junior Paralegal) to join their Orange County team. Under the management of the Associate Director of Paralegals for administrative purposes and to responsible attorneys with respect to work matters, the Legal Project Assistant assists with all aspects of real estate transactions but with a focus on real estate financing. The Legal Project Assistant will interface directly with attorneys, paralegals, clients, and legal staff and deliver high quality, efficient legal, administrative and billable services with an annual minimum billing requirement of 1,200 hours.
Legal Project Assistants’ responsibilities include:
1. Assisting with receiving, organization, distribution and monitoring of due diligence reports, materials and documents.
2. Assisting with closing and post-closing activities.
3. Preparing and drafting correspondence and documents.
4. Performing electronic research using internet-based research tools.
5. Communicating regularly with attorneys and Paralegal Team Lead regarding the status of projects and deadlines and informing attorneys and Paralegal Team Lead of any issues or concerns in meeting deadlines.
6. Corresponding with clients and third-party vendors, in writing, by telephone or electronic communications, as directed by attorneys or paralegals.
7. Entering time and descriptions into timekeeping system and release time daily.
Qualified Legal Project Assistants should have:
8. Bachelor’s Degree and Paralegal Certificate preferred.
9. 1-2 years’ experience in commercial real estate transactions preferred.
10. Ability to manage and take ownership of numerous tasks and projects simultaneously in an organized manner.
11. Analytical, mathematical, and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail; must have good judgment.
12. Ability to track and organize large amounts of data, both hardcopy and electronic, for easy filing and retrieval.
13. Ability to communicate internally and with external clients, vendors and service providers, professionally, clearly and concisely both verbally and in writing.
14. Willingness to learn.
15. Ability to problem solve, think independently and handle projects with minimal supervision.
16. Flexibility to arrive early, stay late or work weekends with little or no notice.
17. Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
18. Demonstrated skills in Word, Excel, PDF-based programs, and databases. PowerPoint and preferred.