Long & Paulo-Lee, PLLC is seeking an experienced Senior Real Estate Paralegal to join our team. The primary focus of this position will be residential real estate transactions, with an emphasis on buyer-side and lender-side representation.
We are looking for an experienced real estate paralegal who understands the Western New York closing process and can independently manage transactions from contract through closing. The ideal candidate is organized, responsive, comfortable managing a substantial caseload, and able to communicate professionally with clients, attorneys, lenders, title companies, real estate agents, municipalities, and other parties involved in a transaction.
While real estate will be the primary focus of this position, experience in estate planning and/or litigation is a significant plus. Our firm maintains active practices in multiple areas, and a candidate with broader paralegal experience will have the opportunity to work across practice groups and take on a more diverse and substantial role within the firm.
Primary Responsibilities
The Senior Real Estate Paralegal will have primary responsibility for coordinating and managing real estate closing files, including:
Buyer-Side Transactions
- Open and organize new purchase files and maintain all required documentation throughout the transaction.
- Review contracts, attorney approval documentation, riders, addenda, and related transaction documents.
- Track attorney approval, financing, inspection, title, survey, contingency, and closing deadlines.
- Order and review title searches, tax searches, municipal searches, surveys, and other required property documentation.
- Identify title issues, liens, judgments, open mortgages, easements, exceptions, and other matters requiring attorney review or resolution.
- Coordinate with clients, sellers' attorneys, lenders, real estate agents, title companies, municipalities, and other parties.
- Communicate with clients throughout the transaction regarding required documents, financing, closing requirements, and transaction status.
- Work with lenders to satisfy closing and title requirements.
- Prepare and organize closing documents and closing packages.
- Obtain and review figures necessary for closing and assist with preparation and review of closing statements and adjustments.
- Coordinate final walkthroughs, closing dates, funding, and other closing logistics.
- Attend or assist with closings as required.
- Handle post-closing follow-up and ensure the file is properly completed and closed.
Lender-Side Transactions
- Manage lender representation files for purchases and refinances from receipt of the loan package through closing and post-closing.
- Review lender instructions and ensure all lender closing requirements are satisfied.
- Coordinate with borrowers, buyers' and sellers' attorneys, title companies, loan officers, processors, and other parties.
- Review title documentation and confirm required lender title coverage and clearance of applicable title issues.
- Prepare lender closing packages and required loan and mortgage documentation.
- Coordinate execution of notes, mortgages, riders, affidavits, disclosures, and other lender-required documents.
- Review closing figures and coordinate funding requirements.
- Ensure lender documents are properly executed, acknowledged, and returned.
- Coordinate recording of mortgages and other required instruments.
- Assemble and transmit post-closing packages to lenders in accordance with lender requirements.
- Track outstanding post-closing documents and conditions through completion.
Additional Practice Area Opportunities
Candidates with experience outside of real estate will have the opportunity to assist attorneys and clients in other areas of the firm's practice. Estate planning and litigation experience are particularly valuable.
Depending upon the candidate's background and interests, additional responsibilities may include:
Estate Planning
- Assist with preparation and organization of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxies, and related estate planning documents.
- Communicate with clients regarding document preparation, execution appointments, and outstanding information.
- Prepare document execution packages and assist with signing appointments.
- Maintain organized estate planning files and assist with post-execution matters.
- Assist attorneys with trust and estate administration matters where appropriate.
Litigation
- Assist attorneys with management of active litigation matters.
- Draft and organize routine correspondence, pleadings, discovery materials, subpoenas, and other litigation documents under attorney supervision.
- Coordinate discovery and document production.
- Maintain litigation calendars, court deadlines, depositions, conferences, and other case-related deadlines.
- Communicate with clients, opposing counsel, courts, experts, and other parties as appropriate.
- Organize materials for depositions, hearings, mediations, and trials.
Experience in either estate planning or litigation is a substantial advantage, and experience across all three areas—real estate, estate planning, and litigation—would be especially valuable. The position can be tailored to allow an experienced candidate to work across multiple areas of focus rather than being limited exclusively to real estate closings.
Qualifications
- Significant prior experience as a real estate paralegal, preferably with substantial experience handling residential closings in New York.
- Strong experience with buyer-side residential transactions required.
- Lender-side closing experience strongly preferred.
- Estate planning and/or litigation paralegal experience is a significant plus.
- Ability to independently manage real estate transactions from contract through closing and post-closing.
- Working knowledge of title searches, surveys, tax matters, mortgages, liens, closing statements, lender requirements, and standard New York real estate closing procedures.
- Strong organizational and file-management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple transactions and deadlines simultaneously.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to identify issues before they interfere with a closing.
- Comfortable communicating directly with clients, attorneys, lenders, title companies, real estate professionals, courts, and municipalities.
- Proficiency with legal practice-management and document-management technology; experience with Clio or similar systems is a plus.
What We Are Looking For
This is a senior-level position for someone who can take meaningful ownership of the firm's real estate closing files. We are looking for a paralegal who does not simply wait for individual assignments, but instead understands what needs to happen next, follows up proactively, identifies potential problems, and keeps attorneys and clients informed.
Although real estate experience is the foundation of this position, we particularly value candidates who bring experience in multiple practice areas. For the right candidate, this position offers the ability to become a versatile senior member of our legal team, working across real estate, estate planning, and litigation based upon the needs of the firm and the candidate's experience and strengths.
The successful candidate will be someone we can rely upon to help ensure that matters are organized, efficient, accurate, and moving forward.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $68,000.00 - $78,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Flexible schedule
- Free parking
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Travel reimbursement
- Wellness program
Work Location: In person
