Legal Staff Paralegal in Princeton, NJ

Law Firm

Princeton, NJ

Legal Staff Paralegal in Princeton, NJ

Legal Staff

Min 5 yrs required

No

Job Title:
Private Client Paralegal (Trust & Estate)

Job Responsibilities:
As a Private Client Paralegal at the law firm, the candidate will be expected to support experienced lawyers in all aspects of estate administration from inception through termination. This client-facing role requires effective communication and direct interaction with clients. The specific responsibilities include:

- Establishing a close rapport with clients and beneficiaries to ensure positive and cooperative working relationships.
- Assisting attorneys in drafting documents as needed.
- Collecting, analyzing, and organizing decedent’s financial records, including tax returns, trust agreements, deeds, stock powers, and financial statements, and assisting with the valuation of assets.
- Drafting documents to help the client qualify as executor and trustee.
- Ensuring proper publication and required notices as part of estate administration.
- Considering post-mortem estate planning and preparing disclaimer documents.
- Compiling materials required for an audit of estate and/or inheritance tax returns.
- Preparing state inheritance tax returns, federal estate tax returns, gift tax returns, fiduciary tax returns, and personal income tax returns.
- Preparing inventories, asset allocation agreements, asset transfer documents, receipts, and releases.
- Preparing and filing accountings and related settlement documents.
- Coordinating distributions and funding transfers of estates and trusts.
- Coordinating with other professionals and clients to obtain and analyze due diligence materials in preparation for filing.
- Handling special projects and duties as assigned.

Education and Experience Information:
The candidate is required to have a , with a paralegal certificate strongly preferred. Additionally, the candidate must possess:

- 5+ years of experience in trusts and estates in NJ.
- Experience as a paralegal in a law firm is strongly preferred.
- Previous experience with tax programs for preparing state, federal, and gift tax returns, estate and inheritance tax, fiduciary income tax, estate tax, and securities evaluations.
- Experience with any of the following systems is a plus: CCH Axcess tax, CCH ProSystem, OneSource, NumberCruncher, Tiger Tables, Zcalc, EstatVal.
- Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.).
- Experience entering and tracking billable time is a plus.

Salary Information:
The anticipated initial hourly rate for this position is based on a workweek. The actual initial hourly rate may be above or below this range and will be determined based on relevant skills, training, experience, and other job-related factors, including the location where the position is filled, in accordance with applicable law. This is a non-exempt role paid on an hourly basis. The initial hourly rate is one component of the law firm's total compensation and benefits package, which includes but is not limited to a discretionary bonus, life, health, accident, and disability insurance, and a 401(k) plan.

Additional Information:
The law firm offers a flexible working environment for work-life success, opportunities to participate in firm-sponsored volunteer events, wellness programming with personalized content and activities, and a professional environment with the opportunity to work with experts at the top of their fields. Benefits include a variety of health plan options, as well as dental, vision, and 401(k) plans, and generous paid time off.

The law firm participates in the federal government's E-Verify program, confirming work authorization with the Social Security Administration and, when applicable, the US Department of Homeland Security. The law firm is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Equal employment opportunity extends to all aspects of employment, including retirement, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, discipline, and termination.

Notice to Recruiters and Staffing Agencies: The law firm has an internal recruiting department and does not accept unsolicited resumes.