Paralegal Job Opening

Paralegal

Position Description

A full-time, non-exempt position, 8 – 5, M-F, providing support to attorney foreclosure/litigation team in all phases of litigation client workflow.

General Job Responsibilities

• Ensure every client of assigned attorneys have a current representation agreement, signed by client and a VF attorney – if not, prepare and execute
• Ensure that every client of assigned attorneys who have an action in process has had all parties to that action submitted to VF’s conflict management process, including being entered in the conflict check system
• Draft, revise, and finalize correspondence to clients, opposing parties, and the court.
• Proofread every VF generated work product – even if from a template; catch every possible error – spelling, formatting or grammar
• Calendar deadlines, court appearances, case, firm and marketing events
• Legal research on local court rules, court procedures and talking to judicial assistants about a judge’s preferred procedures
• Maintain task lists and calendar for assigned attorneys.
• Incoming mail: Discuss next steps with attorney; prepare or draft responses as necessary; ensure client receives a copy.
• Know and be aware of all deadlines related to each assigned attorneys CLE and bar license schedule.
• Make travel arrangements as requested by assigned attorneys.
• Review and respond to all phone calls, emails and in-person visits from clients promptly, reporting same, as preferred by assigned attorneys
• Determine client case needs (opening new matter, special coding required, special case needs)
• Client meetings, phone calls and emails
• Assist with spreadsheet creation for projects as needed
• Understand the corporate maintenance process, including how to research active / inactive entities, or state registered licenses with secretary of state in each state assigned attorneys practice
• Investigate facts of a case with attorney direction
• Case Management organization (may include creating insurance policy and insurance tender matrixes, timeline memos, subcontractor scope of work memos, document/production indexes and deposition summaries)
• Conduct legal research, propose avenues of research for approval
• Maintain litigation docket, noting deadlines, court appearances, and other important dates.
• Conduct client interviews
• Locate and interview witnesses
• Draft, revise and finalize legal documents including correspondence, pleadings, discovery, petitions, motions and briefs
• Aid assigned attorneys in preparation and filing of all court documents, organize briefs, exhibits and appendices
• Check citations through Westlaw to determine whether a citation is correct based on a quick read of the case
• Attend and summarize depositions
• Obtain, manage, organize, review and summarize document production from clients, opposing parties and witnesses.
• Assist in preparation for trials, mediations/arbitrations, and hearings.
• Participate in court appearances
• Attend signings, closings, court hearings and trials as needed
• Aid in preparation of a weekly agenda for internal use in discussing case management and preparation tasks

Education and Experience – at least one of the first 4 following and along with some of below:

• Certificate of completion of an ABA approved paralegal program
• Certificate of completion of a paralegal program at or a degree from a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum 24 semester or equivalent units in law-related courses and that has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization
• A baccalaureate degree or advanced degree in any subject, a minimum of one year of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been active for at least the preceding three years
• A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, and a minimum of three years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been active for at least the preceding three years
• Years of experience: attorney support duties for three or more consecutive years in a related area of Vial Fotheringham’s practice
• Preferred Demonstrated writing, proofreading and research skills
• Preferred Notary certification
• Preferred Ability to do Westlaw research, including cite checking