Paralegal - Estate & Trust

Meyer Capel is seeking a full-time paralegal to support its dynamic estate and trust department at its Champaign office.

Ideal Candidate. The ideal candidate (1) is focused on providing the highest level of service to our clientele and attorneys; (2) thrives in a professional work environment; (3) collaborates well with attorneys, co-workers, clients, and other professionals (accountants, financial advisors, banks and trust companies, and court representatives); (4) is technologically savvy; (5) demonstrates empathy; and (6) demonstrates a high level of autonomy in producing high-quality work product.

Responsibilities. Job responsibilities include:

1. Meeting with clients, executors, trustees, fiduciaries, client family members, and beneficiaries;
2. Always providing concierge-level customer service to our clientele and collaborators;
3. Drafting correspondence and legal documents;
4. Drafting deeds, beneficiary designation forms, and completing non-probate asset claim forms;
5. Gathering and reviewing bank, investment, and retirement account statements and other asset statements;
6. Drafting asset and liability spreadsheets, inventories, and accountings for estates and/or trusts;
7. Maintaining and organizing client files;
8. Preparing federal gift tax returns (IRS Form 709) and estate tax returns (IRS Form 706), and State of Illinois estate tax returns (IL 700), and relevant extensions (IL 700-EXT, and IRS Form 4768) and IRS Form 8971 (regarding consistent tax basis reporting); and
9. Notarizing documents.

Necessary Qualifications. Applicants must satisfy the following mandatory minimum qualifications:

1. Has excellent command of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat;
2. Is extremely well organized, dependable, and pays attention to detail;
3. Demonstrates terrific proofreading skills, written communication skills, and oral communication skills;
4. Is a solutions-oriented teammate;
5. Displays a high level of autonomy and is a self-starter who thrives setting own deadlines and following through on commitment; and
6. Strives for efficiency without sacrificing quality.

Preferred Qualifications. The preferred (but not mandatory) qualifications include:

1. Has 2 or more years of work experience as an estate/trust paralegal or in estate/trust settlement at a financial institution or trust company;
2. Has familiarity with or working knowledge of the Illinois Probate Act, and Illinois Trust Code;
3. Has a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or a paralegal certificate; and
4. Is a notary public.

Position Type: Full-time Employment

Salary: Commensurate with experience. Meyer Capel offers a competitive benefits package which can be discussed during the interview process.

Is this position part time? No

Is this position virtual or “flex”? Possible after initial training period.

How to Apply. Submit cover letter and resume to recruiting@meyercapel.com. In the subject line, please note "Champaign Legal Assistant - Estate & Trust". Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.