Drafting / Estate Administrative Paralegal

The Delaware Elder Law Center; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Delaware Elder Law Center is seeking a detail-oriented paralegal to support our estate planning and estate administration practice. This in-office role involves drafting estate planning documents, preparing materials for signing, coordinating with clients, and assisting attorneys during meetings.

Ideal candidates will have experience with Delaware estate administration, strong attention to detail, and proficiency with Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe, and EFile.

Qualifications

• Experience with estate administration preferred, especially Delaware rules and procedures.
• Paralegal experience in a law firm is preferred.
• Estate document drafting and planning experience is beneficial but not required.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe and EFile.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with strong grammar and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage calendars, deadlines, and multiple responsibilities independently.
• Paralegal certificate or bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent hands-on experience considered.

Responsibilities

• Drafting estate planning documents using WealthDocx and ElderDocx.
• Preparing and organizing documents for client signing appointments.
• Assisting the attorney during client meetings and signing appointments.
• Preparing deeds and coordinating their execution and recording.
• Processing, organizing, and maintaining complete estate planning documents.
• Communicating with clients and following up to obtain necessary information.
• Managing estate calendars, deadlines, and filing requirements from open to close.
• Meeting with clients to review the probate process and gather estate information.
• Filing Wills with the Delaware Register of Wills.
• Preparing estate opening documents, inventories, and accountings.
• Electronically filing documents through Delaware Courts File & Serve.
• Communicating with clients and beneficiaries and coordinating with the attorney.

Skills

Estate administration

Client communication

Scheduling calendars

Attention to detail

Microsoft Office

Education

Paralegal certificate

Bachelor's degree

Tools

WealthDocx

ElderDocx

EFile

Adobe PDF

Job description

Position: Full-Time, Temporary with Strong Potential for Permanent Employment

Compensation: Commensurate with experience

Who We Are

We are a small, client-focused law firm offering a boutique-style approach to legal services. We believe in building meaningful relationships, taking the time to understand our clients' individual circumstances, and providing thoughtful guidance—even before an engagement begins. We are intentional about the clients and matters we accept to ensure we can provide the individualized attention and service our clients expect.

Our practice focuses on estate planning, estate administration, elder law, and specialized long-term care Medicaid planning and asset protection. We value professionalism, personal connection, attention to detail, and a genuine commitment to helping clients navigate important life decisions.

Position Overview

We are seeking a detail-oriented, personable, and independent paralegal to support our estate planning and estate administration practice areas. The ideal candidate will have experience in drafting estate documents and estate administration processes from open to close. This is an in-office, highly client-facing position involving frequent interaction with clients through in-person meetings, telephone calls, and email correspondence.

The majority of the position will focus on drafting estate planning documents, preparing documents for client signing, and processing completed documents. The position will also involve managing a smaller caseload of ongoing estate administration matters.

Prior, hands-on experience with Delaware estate administration is strongly preferred. Estate planning software and procedures can be taught through our established training program.

Primary Responsibilities

• Drafting estate planning documents using WealthDocx and ElderDocx.
• Preparing and organizing documents for client signing appointments.
• Assisting the attorney during client meetings and signing appointments.
• Preparing deeds and coordinating their execution and recording.
• Processing, organizing, and maintaining complete estate planning documents.
• Communicating with clients and following up to obtain necessary information and documentation.
• Managing estate calendars, deadlines, and filing requirements from open to close of estate.
• Meeting with clients to review the probate process and gather estate information.
• Filing Wills with the Delaware Register of Wills.
• Preparing estate opening documents, inventories, and accountings.
• Electronically filing documents through Delaware Courts File & Serve.
• Communicating with clients and beneficiaries and coordinating with the attorney.

Qualifications & Skills

• Practical experience with estate administration strongly preferred, with and emphasis on Delaware rules and procedures including Delaware Register of Wills, estate openings, inventories, accountings, and electronic court filings.
• Previous law firm preferred paralegal or legal assistant experience.
• Estate document drafting and planning experience is beneficial but not required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook, Adobe and EFile.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including strong grammar and attention to detail.
• Ability to independently manage calendars, deadlines, and multiple responsibilities.
• Personable, professional demeanor and comfort working directly with clients.
• Good judgment in recognizing when client questions require attorney involvement.
• Paralegal certificate or bachelor's degree preferred, but equivalent hands-on experience will be considered.

Training

We have established estate planning systems and procedures and provide comprehensive, hands-on training. The selected candidate will shadow our current estate planning and administration paralegal for at least one month and receive a detailed, step-by-step instruction manual. Training will also be provided on our estate planning software, Adobe PDF, and electronic filing systems.

This position will initially be temporary and full-time to provide coverage during an employee's leave of absence. There is a possibility of transitioning to permanent, full-time employment based on the firm's staffing needs and the candidate's performance and overall fit. Permanent employment is not guaranteed.

Benefits are not provided during the initial temporary employment period. If permanent employment is offered, compensation will be subject to renegotiation, and benefits may become available subject to the firm's applicable plans and eligibility requirements.

We are ideally seeking someone interested in a long-term opportunity with our firm.