Paralegal / Legal Operations Manager

Position Overview

The Franchise Paralegal / Legal Assistant provides comprehensive legal, regulatory, and administrative support to the firm’s attorneys and senior leadership team. This hybrid role combines substantive franchise law work (including FDD preparation and state regulatory compliance) with high-level administrative and executive assistance.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive, with the ability to manage complex legal workflows while also supporting day-to-day operations and executive priorities. This role is critical to maintaining efficiency across legal, compliance, and business functions.

Key Responsibilities

Franchise & Regulatory (Substantive Legal Work)

• Assist in the preparation, updating, and maintenance of Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs)
• Coordinate annual renewals and interim amendments
• Prepare and file franchise registrations, renewals, and exemption filings across multiple states
• Respond to state examiner comments and regulatory inquiries
• Maintain franchise compliance calendars and track deadlines
• Draft state addenda, acknowledgments, and related documents
• Ensure franchise development materials comply with applicable franchise laws
• Assist with franchise agreement drafting and related documentation
• Assist in transactional document drafting

Trademark & Legal Support

• Assist with trademark filings, renewals, and tracking
• Monitor potential infringements and prepare cease-and-desist correspondence
• Conduct legal and regulatory research as requested
• Support attorneys in disputes, compliance issues, and client matters
• Organize and maintain legal files and documentation

Executive Assistance & Administrative Support

Provide direct support to senior attorneys and leadership:

• Manage calendars, schedules, and meeting coordination
• Prioritize and track key deadlines, deliverables, and follow-ups
• Draft and manage correspondence on behalf of attorneys
• Serve as a point of contact for clients, vendors, and internal stakeholders
• Prepare meeting materials, agendas, and summaries
• Manage email flow and assist with communication triage
• Coordinate travel, logistics, and firm-related events
• Assist with billing, invoicing coordination, and client communication
• Handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion

Operations & Workflow Management

• Maintain and organize document management systems (SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.)
• Deploy and improve internal processes, templates, and workflows
• Track and manage ongoing projects across legal and compliance functions
• Assist with onboarding new clients and file setup
• Coordinate with external professionals (accountants, third-party vendors, consultants)

Qualifications

Required

• 0–3 years of experience in a legal, administrative, or professional services role
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• High attention to detail and accuracy

Preferred

• Experience with franchise law, regulatory filings, or compliance work
• Paralegal certificate or legal training
• Experience supporting executives or senior professionals
• Familiarity with document management systems and workflow tools

Core Competencies

• Proactive and self-directed with strong initiative
• Ability to balance legal work with administrative responsibilities
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
• Professional judgment and confidentiality
• Clear communicator with strong client service orientation

Why This Role Matters

This role is central to the firm’s ability to scale efficiently. By supporting both legal compliance work and executive operations, the Franchise Paralegal / Executive Legal Assistant enables attorneys to focus on high-value legal strategy while ensuring deadlines, filings, and client needs are consistently met.