Probate, Trust, and Estate Planning Paralegal

Job Description

Job Description

Ferguson Widmayer & Clark, PC | Location: Ann Arbor, MI | Job Type: Full-Time | Salary: Commensurate with Experience

Why Join Ferguson Widmayer & Clark, PC?

Ferguson Widmayer & Clark, PC is an award-winning, well-established, and rapidly growing boutique Ann Arbor law firm with over thirty years in existence. We specialize in estate planning, probate and trust administration, as well as business, tax, and real estate law. We maintain a reputation for exceptional client service with an emphasis on the quality of our work and personal interactions with our clients. We are looking to expand our current team comprised of six attorneys and seven staff members.

Our Environment and Culture: We are a close-knit group of professionals who take pride in our work and enjoy working with each other in a family-like atmosphere. We are committed to providing compassionate and comprehensive legal services. Our office is in a beautiful historic building in Ann Arbor, built in the late 1800’s, offering a unique and appealing workspace, within walking distance to many of Ann Arbor’s favorite places. We consider ourselves a team who enjoy working together.

The Role & Work Arrangement

We are seeking an experienced and personable paralegal to focus primarily on probate, trust administration, and estate planning. The ideal candidate is a self-starter and team player who possesses a strong work ethic and a down-to-earth, friendly attitude.

This position is primarily in-person. It requires managing and maintaining case files, task lists, and deadlines in a paperless environment, meaning comfort with using technology in the office is necessary. There is the potential ability for part-time remote work, depending on performance evaluations over time.

Essential Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will be able to independently manage and assist with the probate and trust process from start to finish. Key responsibilities include:

• Probate and trust administration, including draft petitions, orders, inventories, accountings, creditor notices, beneficiary notices, and other related tasks.

• Draft standard estate planning documents, including wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, and deeds.

• Manage and maintain case files, task lists, and deadlines in a paperless environment.

• Communicate effectively and kindly with clients, court personnel, and counsel.

• Conduct legal research

Required Qualifications and Core Traits

Candidates must possess the following essential skills and characteristics:

• A minimum of two to five years of relevant experience as a probate, trust, and estate paralegal.

• In-depth knowledge of Michigan’s probate, trust, and estate laws and procedures.

• Exceptional organizational skills and work ethic

• Strong attention to detail, with excellent proofreading and writing skills.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe.

• Ability to multi-task

• Must be comfortable using technology

Preferred Qualifications (Bonus Skills)

Experience in the following areas is desired, but not required:

• A paralegal certificate or relevant degree.

• Prior experience assisting with business, real estate, and tax matters.

• Draft advanced estate planning documents, including complex revocable and irrevocable trusts, business documents, deeds, and other related documents.

• Experience using Clio, Lawmatics, or other practice-management software.

• Assist with the preparation of estate tax returns and accountings.