Real Estate Paralegal

McGuireWoods LLP; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

McGuireWoods LLP in Chicago seeks a Commercial Real Estate Paralegal to support a high-volume practice handling sizable transactions. This role requires strong organizational skills, reliability, and a team-oriented approach to assist a busy real estate team.

You will review PSAs, title commitments, and closing documents, coordinate with clients and vendors, and leverage technology including Harvey AI to improve efficiency while ensuring accuracy and deadlines are met.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of real estate legal experience.
• Expertise in title and survey review.
• Experience managing complex transactions and document control.
• Strong organizational, multi-tasking and project management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and written/verbal communication.
• Familiar with Chicago/Illinois transfer taxes and local laws preferred.

Responsibilities

• Review PSAs to identify critical dates and monitor docket progress.
• Draft extensions, amendments, consents, and assignments of PSAs.
• Format documents using Harvey AI to streamline production.
• Review title commitments and surveys; draft title memos and defect letters.
• Assemble closing packets, incumbency certificates, and legal opinions.
• Coordinate with clients and external parties to move transactions forward.
• Obtain and file property records, zoning letters, lien searches, and summaries.
• Prepare closing binders and deliver to clients after closing.
• Notarize closing documents when needed.
• Assist entity formation, registrations, EINs, and operating agreements.
• File Form IDs and Form D with the SEC and submissions for BlueSky filings.

Skills

Real estate law experience

Project management

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Tech-savvy (Harvey AI)

Tools

Harvey AI

Job description

Overview

McGuireWoods is seeking a Commercial Real Estate Paralegal to join its Chicago office. This role will service a wide range of transactions and support an active commercial real estate practice that closes hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions per year. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of relevant experience, strong organizational and multitasking skills, and will embrace a team mentality.

Overview

McGuireWoods is seeking a Commercial Real Estate Paralegal to join its Chicago office. This role will service a wide range of transactions and support an active commercial real estate practice that closes hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions per year. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of relevant experience, strong organizational and multitasking skills, and will embrace a team mentality.

McGuireWoods, one of the world’s leading law firms, has provided legal solutions to corporate, individual and nonprofit clients since 1834. Along with excellent benefits, McGuireWoods offers most employees a hybrid remote option allowing flexibility and work-life balance. Our Applicant Disclosures describe your rights. Our Privacy Statement describes how we will process and safeguard your personal data.

Responsibilities

• Reviews purchase and sale agreements (PSAs) to identify and docket critical dates, and monitors and updates the docket as transactions progress.
• Drafts extension notices, amendments, consents, and assignments of PSAs, as well as organizational charts reflecting entity structures involved in a transaction.
• Drafts and formats transaction documents using Harvey AI to support efficient document production.
• Reviews title commitments and surveys, drafts title memos summarizing key findings, and prepares title objection letters to raise and resolve title defects.
• Assembles and prepares signature packets, incumbency certificates, and legal opinions required for closing.
• Communicates directly with clients and external parties to keep transactions moving and address open items.
• Retrieves property information and profiles, obtains zoning letters, and orders lien searches and drafts summaries of the results.
• Assembles closing binders and delivers them to clients following closing.
• Serves as a notary for closing documents when needed.
• Handles entity formation and foreign registrations, including obtaining EINs and drafting operating agreements.
• Obtains entity certificates and certified entity documents.
• Prepares and files Form ID and Form D with the SEC and submits Bl ueSky filings.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of real estate legal experience
• Expertise in title and survey review is required.
• Prior experience in managing complex projects or transactions, with a track record of meticulous document management, timeline construction, and proactive problem-solving.
• Demonstrated organizational, multi-tasking, and project management skills, with a proven ability to operate as a self-starter and exercise ownership over caseloads.
• Strong interpersonal and professional communication skills, with the confidence to actively interface and coordinate with court clerks, vendors, and trial teams.
• Familiarity with Chicago or Illinois state transfer tax or local laws and deed knowledge experience is preferred.
• Willingness and desire to work with innovative technology platforms - our employees also have access to Harvey, a legal‑specific AI tool that reduces time spent on routine tasks, allowing you to focus on more meaningful, high‑impact work.