Paralegal (Trusts & Estate Planning)

Goodwin Procter LLP; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

Retirement & Savings Plan

Job summary

Goodwin Procter in Boston seeks a Trusts & Estate Planning Paralegal to support attorneys on complex matters and client teams. You will prepare accountings, manage probate processes, and assist in fiduciary tax returns, with governance through firm resources.

BA/BS preferred; 3+ years paralegal experience in a law firm or bank/trust setting is ideal. Strong organizational and communication skills, plus advanced Word/Excel, are required. Notary appointment or willingness to obtain is preferred.

Qualifications

• BA/BS preferred; paralegal experience in a law firm or bank/trust setting is ideal.
• Strong organizational and communication skills are required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel is required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct estate administration tasks and probate-related activities.
• Assist in preparation of fiduciary income and estate tax returns.
• Coordinate trust account activity and prepare accountings and summaries.
• Liaise with Probate Court and manage filing documents and certificates.
• Support attorneys and clients on complex matters with supervision.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Microsoft Word & Excel

Education

BA/BS preferred

Job description

Join Goodwin's Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world's most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team - all business professionals at the firm, you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do. Here, we're not just supporting a law firm; we're partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting-edge solutions in high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we're proud to have been recognised as the "Best Business Team" by The American Lawyer. This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward-thinking peers. At Goodwin we realize that being a paralegal is not just a job, it is a profession. As professionals, Paralegals are offered opportunities to play key roles on our client teams while also developing themselves to the highest caliber. Goodwin Paralegals work side-by-side with attorneys to provide high-quality, cost effective legal services on each of our groundbreaking matters. They add value through experience, advising on how to best approach tasks at hand. As a Trusts & Estate Planning Paralegal at Goodwin, you will have the opportunity to develop strong relationships with our attorneys and clients, while building substantive and institutional knowledge that adds critical value to our practice.

What You Will Do:

• Conduct various activities in connection with estate administration and Probate Court proceedings including: preparing trust and estate accountings, maintaining financial records of estates, calculating distributive shares of heirs and maintaining and updating form files.
• Act as liaison with Probate Court: prepare documents to be filed, manage formal/informal probate processes, obtain certified copies of death, will and marriage certificates, arrange for appraisals and bond, and make preliminary tax estimates.
• Perform other duties related to estate administration.
• Assist in preparation of fiduciary income and charitable tax returns, coordination of payments of estimates and tax, prepare initial drafts of gift and estate tax returns, and assisting in audits of estate tax returns.
• Coordinate trust account activity via online bank/investment systems, including funding, distributions, and expense payments, working closely with trustees and firm accounting personnel.
• Prepare and review of trust accountings and financial summaries.
• Assist trustees with other aspects of trust administration.
• Effectively carries knowledge gained regarding how to perform a task or project to the next, similar project, with no re-explanation, and can at times apply this knowledge to different types of tasks, in order to create efficiencies.
• Handles assignments involving complex matters or fact patterns with supervision from attorneys.
• Proactively stays informed regarding changes in the law pertaining to practice area.

Who You Are:

• BA/BS preferred
• 3 or more years of experience preferred
• Paralegal experience or qualifying work experience in law firm or bank/trust company preferred
• Familiarity with SEI/SWP is a plus
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• High level of attention to detail
• Capable of handling multiple responsibilities
• Ability to work well in a team-oriented environment
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel is required
• Notary appointment or willingness to obtain appointment.
• Independent understanding of basic ideas and/or legal concepts involved with the types of matters to which he/she is likely to be assigned preferred and seeks such information on assigned matters.
• Independently handles unexpected issues that arise during the course of a project.

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Benefits and More

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Retirement & Savings Plan
• Emergency back-up child and adult care
• Paid vacation, sick time off, and holidays
• Professional development and career advancement opportunities
• Employee recognition and reward programs
• Employee wellness and assistance programs
• Employee discounts and perks

This position is eligible for overtime: Yes

The Target Salary Range For This Position Varies By Location And Is Commensurate With Relevant Experience: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00.

Professional career paths at Goodwin offer you more - and less - than you might expect. You'll find less hierarchy and more meritocracy. You'll have more chances to work across departments and offices, and fewer roadblocks to getting the job done. We believe people are happiest when they're not limited by a 'that's how we've always done it' approach, so we encourage a more imaginative and collaborative working environment. Our Global Operations Team - what we call our GO Team - brings a level of professionalism, enthusiasm and commitment to work each and every day. Goodwin embraces responsible and ethical use of AI in the Hiring Process.