Estate Planning Paralegal - Volunteer Attorney Program

Management Information Exchange; Santa Fe, Northern (NM, KY); Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% employer-paid BCBS medical

Dental and vision coverage

Paid time off and holidays

Hybrid work schedule (3 days in office

2 days remote)

Sabbatical program eligibility

403(b) Retirement Plan

Job summary

New Mexico Legal Aid seeks a full-time Estate Planning Paralegal for its Volunteer Attorney Program to assist with wills, healthcare powers of attorney, and advance directives. The role coordinates and teaches estate planning at legal fairs across New Mexico, reporting to the VAP Director in Santa Fe or Albuquerque.

Travel up to 20% within the state, Spanish proficiency a plus, and a strong commitment to serving low-income clients.

Qualifications

• Must meet NM Supreme Court paralegal qualifications (Rule 20-115) or equivalent.
• Estate planning experience with 3+ years preferred.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Spanish proficiency is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Plan and recruit pro bono attorneys for estate planning clinics statewide.
• Coordinate and market estate planning services at legal fairs and information sessions.
• Travel within New Mexico up to 20% and some overnight trips.
• Assist with document drafting and use of VAP software.
• Input case data into the online case management system; maintain records.

Skills

Written and oral communication

Time management

Multitasking

Collaboration

Spanish (proficiency)

Education

New Mexico Supreme Court paralegal qualifications (Rule 20-115) or equivalent

Estate planning experience (3+ years)

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Job description

Estate Planning Paralegal - Volunteer Attorney Program

Estate Planning Paralegal - Volunteer Attorney Program

New Mexico Legal Aid, the state's largest provider of civil legal services for low-income New Mexicans, seeks a full-time estate planning paralegal to be assigned to NMLA's Volunteer Attorney Program (VAP). This program recruits volunteer attorneys to provide legal services to financially eligible clients of New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA).

VAP handles a wide range of creative, challenging, and complex work. We seek innovative, highly motivated candidates who are passionate about justice and strongly committed to helping NMLA better serve our client community.

This new position will support VAP's novel estate planning initiative in helping program applicants with simple wills, healthcare powers of attorney, advance directives, and other estate planning matters. The estate planning paralegal will be largely responsible for coordinating and assisting with estate planning legal fairs and education sessions across the state of New Mexico.

This full-time position reports to the VAP Director, will be based in NMLA's Santa Fe or Albuquerque office, and requires up to 20% travel within the state. Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities of the Estate Planning Paralegal in VAP will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Work with NMLA's regional office attorneys, VAP Director, and other staff in planning and recruiting pro bono attorneys to serve low-income clients at estate planning clinics throughout New Mexico.
• Assist VAP's Statewide Pro Bono Coordinator, Pro Bono Manager, and the courts, in planning, coordinating and marketing estate planning services at legal fairs, and legal information sessions to educate the public before legal fairs.
• Travel to and facilitate estate planning legal fairs and information sessions in urban and rural areas of New Mexico, including some overnight travel (up to 15% to 20% of time).
• Ability to lift up to 20 lbs of equipment and supplies.
• Demonstrate and apply the ability to work with and relate to clients of the program.
• Communicate with VAP clients, volunteer attorneys, and others both orally and in writing.
• Assist estate planning clinic pro bono attorneys in using VAP's software and hardware, including document automation, printing, and connecting to internet services.
• Conduct client interviews to identify legal issues, screen applicants for eligibility, and schedule clinic appointments for eligible applicants.
• Refer applicants to other agencies or sources of help if they do not qualify for assistance from NMLA.
• Input of significant amounts of client information and case detail into NMLA's online case management system.
• Assist with document drafting for pro bono attorneys as needed, using estate planning templates and other legal resources.
• Witness, notarize, and proofread legal documents.
• Collect and report data from legal teleclinics and fairs.
• Assist with testing and implementation of document automation software including programming of estate planning document templates.
• Travel out-of-state up to twice per year to attend grantee meetings.
• Complete other assignments as requested by VAP's Pro Bono Coordinator, Manager, or Director.

Requirements: All candidates must possess:

• Must meet the New Mexico Supreme Court qualifications for paralegals (Rule 20‑115), which may be satisfied through an approved paralegal program, qualifying education, national certification, law school graduation, or qualifying substantive law-related experience.
• Experience in estate planning, with a minimum of 3 years' experience preferred.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships within the staff and the community.
• Proficiency in the use of computer software including MS Word and Excel.
• Ability to effectively use computer technology and remote communication systems, including sharing online workspaces, web meeting and videoconferencing software.
• Strong time management skills and the ability to meet hard deadlines is a must.
• Valid New Mexico driver's license and automobile insurance, with own transportation and/or capacity and willingness to operate rental vehicles.

The position is part of a collective bargaining agreement. Pay is determined by years of experience and set by a union scale; to view the salary scale. NMLA provides comprehensive benefits, holiday and leave packages. For information about NMLA's generous benefits, and what it is like to work at NMLA.

Company Benefits

• 100% employer-paid BCBS medical, plus dental and vision for employees
• Generous employer contributions toward dependent coverage
• Paid time off includes annual leave (starting at 3 weeks/year), 6 days personal time, 15 holidays, sick leave, and more
• Sabbatical program eligibility
• Hybrid work schedule (3 days in office, 2 days remote each week).
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer contributions and matching

Applicants will be subject to a background check. Please do not let this deter you from applying. NMLA is committed to a strong workforce and recognizes that persons with marks on their record may still be able to perform admirably.

NMLA is an EEO Employer.