Administrative Assistant - Personal Planning

The Administrative Assistant in the Fiduciary/Personal Planning group is responsible for performing a variety of tasks during all phases of estate administration, as well as assisting with the estate planning for high-net-worth clients. This role works under the supervision of the group’s fiduciary manager and at direction of the group’s attorneys.

Responsibilities

Estate Administration:

• Review and analyze estate documents for purposes of probate
• Draft and file various petitions and supporting documents, working independently with Surrogate’s Court
• Inventory and review decedent’s records and collect decedent’s assets
• File inventory of assets and supporting documents with Surrogate’s Court
• Maintain estate financial records; coordinate payments of debts, estate administration expenses, taxes, and commissions
• Review appraisals/valuations and assist with the sale/transfers of decedent’s property, including interests in LLCs and partnerships, artwork, jewelry, and other tangible personal property
• Complete medical and life insurance claims, collect life insurance proceeds, and obtain Life Insurance Statement Form 712
• Arrange for Federal and State tax lien releases
• Draft various release agreements for individual and charitable beneficiaries
• Prepare documents in connection with estate and gift tax audits
  
  

Estate Planning:

• Administer insurance trust accounts including opening bank accounts, paying premiums, preparing Crummy notices, and wire transfers
• Drafting various release agreements and coordinating the distribution of assets to beneficiaries
• Fund revocable and irrevocable trusts including transferring LLC and partnership interests, real property, stock, tangible personal property and life insurance policies
• Form entities for estate planning purposes including LLCs, LPs, corporations, and not-for-profit corporations
• Draft organizational documents such as LLC and LP agreements, by-laws, resolutions, minutes, SS-4 applications, apply for tax identification numbers, qualify entities to do business in various states, file annual reports
• Dissolve entities including drafting and filing dissolution documents, liquidating assets, and completing other required state and tax filings
• Draft health care proxies, living wills, and powers of attorney
• Prepare documents for client meetings, conform original documents and maintain transactional libraries
• Perform other administrative duties as assigned
  
  

Education

Required

• Bachelor’s degree and/or Paralegal Certificate required
  
  

Preferred

• Knowledge of legal principles and practices acquired through formal paralegal training or its equivalent a plus
  
  

Required

Skills and Experience

• Minimum of 3-5 years of paralegal experience
• Strong work ethic and professional presentation
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to proofread for contextual, grammatical, and spelling errors
• Ability to communicate effectively with clients, outside counsel, and third-party vendors
• Strong organization and prioritization skills
• Multitasking in a high-pressure environment with attention to detail and deadlines
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills
• Flexibility to work late and on holidays/weekends
• Advanced MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, and Internet research skills
  
  

Preferred

• Knowledge of iManage, HotDocs, eDockets and legal research databases such as Westlaw and Lexis/Nexis
  
  

Salary Information

Salary Information

NY Only: The estimated base salary range for this position is $63,000 to $73,000 at the time of posting.

The actual salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. This role is non-exempt meaning it is overtime pay eligible.

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