Legal Assistant

Safe Harbor Wills and Trusts; Westview Manor (NY); On-site; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Safe Harbor Wills and Trusts in Camillus, NY seeks an experienced Probate Paralegal to manage active files with limited attorney supervision and to move matters toward completion. This is not an entry-level role, requiring hands-on probate and estate administration experience and the ability to work independently.

The firm values organization, problem solving, and dedication to helping families. Compensation ranges from $50,000 to $55,000 yearly, with a growing practice serving Central and

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal skills and talent for writing and grammar.
• High-level organizational skills and time-management.
• Preference for paralegal certification or advanced paralegal education.
• Significant probate and estate administration experience.
• Ability to take over existing matters with minimal supervision.
• Strong follow-up and multi-file management.
• Excellent written and client communication skills.
• New York Surrogate's Court experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Gather information about legal issues from clients in interviews.
• Assist lawyers in preparing legal documents, pleadings, and correspondence.
• Review probate and estate administration files and determine status.
• Identify missing documents, filings, signatures, and next steps.
• Prepare Surrogate's Court petitions, waivers, consents, affidavits, notices, and releases.
• Follow up with clients, fiduciaries, beneficiaries, courts, and financial institutions.
• Assist with asset collection, transfers, inventories, and accountings.
• Move stalled or aging files toward completion.
• Maintain clear file notes and task lists.
• Identify issues requiring attorney involvement.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Writing & grammar

Organizational skills

Time-management

Independent work

Education

Paralegal certification or advanced education

Job description

Experienced Probate Paralegal

Safe Harbor Wills and Trusts Camillus, New York, United States

About this position

Safe Harbor Wills & Trusts is seeking an experienced Probate & Estate Administration Paralegal to help support our growing probate practice. We are looking for someone who can step into existing active files, quickly determine where each matter stands, identify what needs to happen next, and move the file toward completion with limited attorney supervision. This is not an entry-level position. Candidates must have hands-on probate and estate administration experience and be comfortable working independently.

If you enjoy organizing complicated information, solving problems, and doing work that genuinely helps families, we'd like to hear from you.

Compensation:

$50,000 - $55,000 yearly

Responsibilities

• Gather information about legal issues from the client in interviews
• Assist lawyers in preparing legal documentation, pleadings, and correspondence including correspondence such as interrogatories, subpoenas, deposition notices, complaints, pretrial orders, legal briefs, and affidavits
• Review existing probate and estate administration files and determine status
• Identify missing documents, filings, signatures, and next steps
• Prepare Surrogate's Court petitions, waivers, consents, affidavits, notices, receipts, and releases
• Follow up with clients, fiduciaries, beneficiaries, courts, and financial institutions
• Assist with asset collection, transfers, distributions, inventories, and accountings
• Move stalled or aging files toward completion
• Maintain clear file notes and task lists
• Identify issues requiring attorney involvement

Qualifications

• Must have strong interpersonal skills and talent for writing and grammar
• Candidates should possess high-level organizational skills, and time-management skills
• Strong preference for candidates who have completed a paralegal professional certification or have an advanced paralegal education
• Significant probate and estate administration experience
• Ability to take over existing matters with minimal supervision
• Strong organizational and follow-up skills
• Ability to manage multiple active files
• Excellent written and client communication skills
• New York Surrogate's Court experience strongly preferred

The right candidate should be able to open a file and quickly answer: Where are we? What is missing? What needs to happen next?

About Company

We are a growing estate planning and elder law firm helping families throughout Central and Northern New York.