Our small estate planning law firm on the west side of Madison is seeking a paralegal or legal assistant to become part of our team! You’ll work for one attorney (John Horn), managing his calendar, handling phone calls and essentially acting as his "gatekeeper". But otherwise, this isn’t a traditional paralegal or legal assistant position.

Instead, you’ll complete the forms, letters and other documentation that "fund" revocable and irrevocable trusts designed by our law firm for our estate planning clients. This involves three main tasks: Completing transfer documents, completing beneficiary designation forms, and creating an inventory of the affected assets on an excel spreadsheet for the client. This involves tasks of relatively easy to moderate difficulty. However, it is thought-provoking and challenging!

Chief Responsibilities:

• Manage attorney's calendar and field phone calls;
• Greet clients;
• Print and organize estate planning portfolios;
• Research legal descriptions, draft deeds and complete transfer tax returns;
• Complete beneficiary forms for client insurance products, annuities, bank accounts, brokerage accounts and retirement plans;
• Draft cover letters and letters of instruction using our vast library;
• Review and interpret client account statements and financial disclosures;
• Coordinate these efforts with attorney and clients, using verbal and written client communications adeptly;
• Organize client assets into excel worksheets.

Secondary Responsibilities:

• Prepare probate pleadings and track/advance probate cases to completion;
• Meet with clients to review estate planning documents, and particularly the funding documents you’ve prepared (after attorney review, discussion and revision with you);
• Back-up other paralegal (or receptionist) as needed.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience as legal assistant or paralegal in law. Finance, brokerage, insurance or other related fields may also be considered, but law background is strongly preferred;
• Buoyant, comforting attitude with clients who may have questions, insecurities or problems;
• Familiarity with financial/insurance products;
• Ability to build rapport with staff and clients;
• Strong analytical skills;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite;
• Familiarity with case management software;
• Ability to work independently.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $20- $25 per hour DOE

Benefits:

• Tax-deferred employee 401(k)-type program “Horn and Johnsen SC SIMPLE IRA Plan” administered through Vanguard
• Employer matching contributions
• Paid time off
• Extra holidays such paid Friday off following Thanksgiving

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: IN PERSON

Employee to have a leased or titled vehicle as transportation to, from and during work due to occasional (reimbursed) travel to court house or businesses

*Please note that remote work is not an option for this position. Interviews will also be held in-person only.*

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.54 - $22.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Travel requirement:

• No travel

Work Location: In person