About us

The Law Office of Dorothy G Thompson is a boutique estate planning and administration firm in Santa Cruz, CA. Our goal is to help our clients feel comfortable and supported in a legal environment and to provide caring and professional legal services. To that end, staff and attorneys work collaboratively to provide the most positive and efficient service possible to our clients.

Our office environment is dog-friendly yet professional.

LEGAL ASSISTANT / PARALEGAL FOR

ESTATE PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICE

FLEXIBLE – APPROXIMATELY 20 HOURS/WEEK

The successful candidate for this position will have a positive attitude, enjoy working as part of a team as well as being independently motivated, and possess proven client-centered legal assisting or paralegal skills. This is primarily a transactional law office, but court filings and appearances are also part of the practice.

Work will be supervised more or less directly depending on the successful candidate’s level of experience, but there is an expectation that an individual entering as a legal assistant will be eager to learn and advance toward providing paralegal level work. Tasks to be performed under supervision of the attorney include:

§ Ensuring that clients have a positive experience by helping them to feel welcome and comfortable in a legal environment.

§ Drafting professional communications to clients, attorney offices, and public agencies – both letters and email.

§ Contacting clients, professional offices, and public agencies by phone and email to follow up on outstanding issues, required information, and scheduling.

§ Independently initiating routine client management procedures and documentation, including scheduling meetings and opening, maintaining, and closing files.

§ Drafting documents from established templates & updating templates as directed.

§ Communicating regularly with attorney to prioritize work.

§ Maintaining and regularly updating a comprehensive current client list to ensure the effective prioritization of tasks and ensure timely completion.

§ Documenting office procedures.

§ Researching code sections and legal procedures as instructed by attorney.

§ Other tasks and assignments as directed.

A candidate with an interest in and experience with accounting may also:

§ Post transactions from source documents related to fiduciary accountings.

§ Reconcile accounts.

§ Create reports from accounting software and in Excel.

§ Interact with clients via phone and email regarding account issues.

Staff are legally required to adhere to the same professional standards of conduct – confidentiality, competence, professionalism – to which attorneys are bound. Therefore, the successful candidate must be committed to perform ethically, and to carefully follow instructions given by the directing attorney.

This position requires the employee to maintain absolute confidentiality regarding client information. The tasks required in this position require excellent attention to detail and excellent oral and written communication skills. Additionally, the successful candidate must be able to communicate effectively, confidently, and cheerfully with a wide variety of people.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact the office with your resume, a cover letter, and availability for a potential interview. The successful candidate will begin training July 1, 2024.

· Commitment to ethical performance of duties, including maintaining strictest confidentiality.

· Excellent organizational skills.

· Excellent written communication skills, suitable to drafting professional letters and email.

· Excellent verbal communication skills, appropriate for interacting positively with a variety of clients, supervisor, the public, and other office members.

· Excellent attention to detail, suitable to drafting and proofing letters, forms, and documents.

· Skill in using Word, FileMaker, and online calendaring.
Preferred: Skill in using QuickBooks and Excel.

· Demonstrated skill in drafting professional letters and email correspondence.

· Ability, skill, and willingness to work both under close supervision and independently as needed.

· Desire to learn and advance in the job.

Hourly rate of pay is dependent upon experience and level of skill ($20 - $30/hr). The rate during the training period (up to two months) will be lower (minimum $18/hr) than the continuing rate for the candidate who is successful during the training period and continues in the position. Rate increases may occur thereafter, based on the employee’s job performance.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $20.00 - $30.00 per hour

Expected hours: No less than 20 per week

Benefits:

• Paid sick time
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Day shift
• No weekends

Travel requirement:

• No travel

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• California Notary Public Commission (Preferred)

Work Location: In person