Paralegal Associate – Estate Planning
Father Gabriel Richard High School - Ann Arbor, Michigan
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: New York City • New York • United States
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About the role
- Guide clients and advisors through the estate planning process for foundational documents — wills, financial powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and revocable living trusts — clarifying options and terminology without rendering legal opinions.
- Facilitate intake and fact-gathering for estate planning matters, including family details, asset summaries, beneficiary intentions, and key decision-makers (executors, trustees, agents, and healthcare representatives).
- Coordinate communication between clients, financial advisors, and external estate planning attorneys — tracking each matter from initial consultation through document execution and trust funding.
- Prepare and organize draft instructions, document summaries, and checklists for review by supervising attorneys or approved outside counsel, ensuring completeness and consistency with client objectives.
- Assist with titling and beneficiary coordination in alignment with estate planning documents, working closely with financial planning, operations, and custodial teams.
- Develop and maintain standardized workflows, templates, and client-friendly educational materials covering wills, POAs, healthcare directives, and revocable trusts.
- Support advisor training and office hours on the estate planning process, common document structures, and best practices for working with outside counsel.
- Maintain meticulous records of client interactions, document status, and key decisions in the firm's CRM and document management systems — ensuring full compliance with firm policies and applicable regulations.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree required; paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program required.
- 3+ years of experience as a paralegal, legal assistant, or estate planning support professional — ideally in trusts and estates, private wealth, or a related practice area.
- Solid working knowledge of core estate planning documents and concepts: wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, revocable trusts, beneficiary designations, and basic probate/estate administration terminology.
- A foundational understanding of federal estate and gift tax concepts.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple client matters and deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills — able to explain complex legal concepts in plain, client-friendly language.
Benefits
- Competitive comp package that rewards impact
- Work alongside some of the brightest minds in fintech and wealth management
- Ground-floor opportunity at a fast-scaling startup
- Chart your own growth path as we expand
- Full health benefits + 401(k) matching & Roth IRA options
- Unlimited PTO
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
willsfinancial powers of attorneyhealthcare directivesrevocable living trustsestate planningdocument preparationfact-gatheringprobate terminologyestate administrationfederal estate and gift tax concepts
Soft Skills
organizational skillscommunication skillsclient interactionmultitaskingattention to detailtrainingworkflow developmenteducational material creationcollaborationclient-friendly explanations
Certifications
Bachelor's degreeparalegal certificate