Paralegal

A growing and well-established law firm is seeking an experienced Paralegal with a focus on Trusts & Estates. This position offers the opportunity to work within a sophisticated practice supporting high-net-worth individuals, families, and privately held businesses on a range of domestic and international estate planning and administration matters.

This is a newly created role driven by continued practice growth and provides meaningful, hands-on involvement in complex legal work.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist attorneys in the preparation of estate planning documents, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives
• Draft and review probate and estate administration filings
• Conduct legal research related to estate law, tax considerations, and trust regulations
• Maintain and organize confidential client records and case files
• Communicate with clients, financial institutions, and court personnel
• Coordinate the preparation of estate asset inventories and valuations
• Support estate and gift tax planning and compliance
• Prepare and file probate court documents
• Prepare trust accountings
• Assist with domestic and international gift and estate tax return preparation
• Obtain Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs)

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years of experience as a Trusts & Estates Paralegal in a law firm environment
• Strong knowledge of New York State estate planning laws and procedures
• Experience preparing probate petitions for Surrogate’s Court matters, including multi-jurisdictional estates
• Solid understanding of estate administration, including asset transfers, creditor claims, and beneficiary distributions
• Experience with trust administration, including contribution notices and life insurance trusts
• Ability to prepare estate and trust accountings and related documentation
• Experience forming business entities (e.g., LLCs) and drafting operating agreements
• Familiarity with preparation of U.S. estate and gift tax returns
• Proficiency in legal research tools and databases
• Experience with tax and accounting software (e.g., FAS/FPS, GEMS, or similar platforms)
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams)