Trust & Estate Paralegal

Buchanan; Princeton (NJ); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Buchanan is seeking an experienced Private Client Paralegal to join its Trusts & Estates team. This client-facing role supports attorneys throughout the full estate administration process, from inception to final distribution.

The position is hybrid in New Jersey, with responsibilities spanning probate, tax filings, accountings, and asset transfers. Ideal candidates have 5+ years of NJ Trusts & Estates experience, a paralegal certificate (preferred), and strong knowledge of the Uniform Probate

Qualifications

• 5+ years of NJ Trusts & Estates experience required.
• Law firm paralegal experience strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; paralegal certificate preferred.
• Strong knowledge of estate administration and tax filings.
• Advanced Excel skills and comfort with financial statements.

Responsibilities

• Manage and support all aspects of estate and trust administration.
• Work directly with clients, beneficiaries, attorneys and outside professionals.
• Analyze and organize complex financial records including tax returns and deeds.
• Prepare federal and state tax returns and related documents.
• Prepare inventories, accountings and transfer documents.
• Support post-mortem planning and other Trusts & Estates matters.

Skills

NJ Trusts & Estates experience

Law firm paralegal experience

Advanced Excel skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Paralegal certificate preferred

Tools

CCH Axcess

CCH ProSystem

OneSource

NumberCruncher

Tiger Tables

Zcalc

EstatVal

Job description

About the job

A leading Am Law firm is seeking an experienced Private Client Paralegal to join its highly regarded Trusts & Estates team. This is a client-facing opportunity supporting attorneys throughout the full estate administration process, from inception throughfinal distribution. This role will be hybrid in NJ.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and support all aspects of estate and trust administration, including probate, tax filings, accountings, distributions, and asset transfers
• Work directly with clients, beneficiaries, attorneys, and outside professionals, building strong and collaborative relationships
• Analyze and organize complex financial records, including tax returns, trust agreements, deeds, brokerage statements, and other estate assets
• Prepare federal and state estate, inheritance, gift, and fiduciary tax returns, along with related administration documents
• Prepare inventories, accountings, asset allocation agreements, receipts, releases, and transfer documents
• Support post-mortem planning, estate audits, due diligence, and other sophisticated Trusts & Estates matters

Requirements:

• 5+ years of NJ Trusts & Estates experience required
• Law firm paralegal experience strongly preferred
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; paralegal certificate preferred
• Strong knowledge of estate administration, tax filings, and the Uniform Probate Code
• Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with financial statements and calculations
• Experience with estate/tax software such as CCH Axcess, CCH ProSystem, OneSource, NumberCruncher, Tiger Tables, Zcalc, or EstatVal is a plus