About the Opportunity
A well-established Ventura County law firm is seeking an experienced, highly organized Paralegal to join its team on a full-time basis.
The firm provides sophisticated legal counsel to individuals, families, fiduciaries, and business owners in matters involving estate planning, wills and trusts, probate, trust administration, business formation and succession planning, and trust and estate litigation.
This is an excellent opportunity for a detail-oriented paralegal who enjoys substantive legal work, managing multiple matters and deadlines, working directly with attorneys and clients, and being an integral part of a collaborative professional team.
Key Responsibilities
The Paralegal will provide comprehensive support to the firm's attorneys and clients throughout estate planning, probate, trust administration, and related matters. Responsibilities may include:
- Assist attorneys with the preparation and administration of estate planning matters, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance health care directives, and related documents
- Prepare drafts, correspondence, forms, pleadings, petitions, notices, and other legal documents for attorney review
- Assist with probate and trust administration, including gathering and organizing asset information, preparing inventories and accountings, tracking deadlines, and coordinating required notices and filings
- Support attorneys with trust and estate litigation, including document organization, discovery, filings, case management, and hearing or trial preparation
- Assist with business formation and succession-planning matters, as needed
- Maintain and organize client files, records, calendars, and case-management information
- Monitor and calendar court dates, statutory deadlines, filing requirements, and other critical dates
- Communicate professionally and compassionately with clients, beneficiaries, fiduciaries, courts, financial institutions, and other outside parties
- Coordinate signatures, notarizations, document execution, filings, and recordation
- Conduct factual and legal research as requested
- Assist attorneys in preparing for client meetings, hearings, mediations, and other proceedings
- Maintain strict confidentiality regarding client and firm matters
- Provide general administrative and legal support as needed to ensure matters are handled accurately, efficiently, and timely
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have:
- Previous paralegal experience, preferably within estate planning, probate, trust administration, or trusts and estates
- Knowledge of California probate and estate planning processes strongly preferred
- Paralegal qualification compliant with California Business & Professions Code § 6450 or the ability to satisfy applicable California paralegal requirements
- Strong legal drafting, proofreading, and document-preparation skills
- Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
- Strong organizational and case-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple matters and competing deadlines
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Professional judgment and discretion when handling confidential and sensitive information
- Strong interpersonal and client-service skills, including the ability to work compassionately with clients who may be navigating difficult family circumstances or the loss of a loved one
- Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with attorneys and other team members
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and comfort learning and working within legal practice-management and document-management systems
Experience with probate petitions, trust administration, estate planning document preparation, court filings, and/or trust and estate litigation is highly desirable.
What We're Looking For
Beyond technical experience, we are looking for someone who is dependable, proactive, polished, organized, and genuinely invested in providing excellent client service.
The right person anticipates what needs to happen next, follows matters through to completion, communicates when something needs attention, and takes pride in producing accurate, high-quality work.
Because clients often turn to the firm during significant and sometimes emotional life events, professionalism, patience, discretion, and empathy are particularly important in this role.
Pay: $35.00 - $40.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
