GUARDIANSHIP/ESTATE PLANNING PARALEGAL
The Guardianship/Estate Planning Paralegal helps the attorney with Guardianship or Estate Planning matters from the beginning of the matter to the close of the file. Although some items may be delegated, you are ultimately responsible for helping the attorney move a matter forward. As the Guardianship/Estate Planning Paralegal, you have the opportunity to help people during a difficult time. Documents that are generally handled in Estate Planning are: Trusts, Wills, Durable Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Designation of Health Care Surrogates and Deeds
New Client and New Matters
- Initial general guardianship/estate planning intake will be handled from potential clients that call into the office or send an email
Calendar Responsibilities
- Keep up to date with each guardianship and estate planning matter and calendar any deadlines
- Set up drafts of documents or correspondence needed for attorney to review and edit
- Finalize for attorney signature
- Assist the attorney in moving items, tasks and needs to completion
Court Filings
Manage all court filings whether initiated or incoming as well as recordings:
- Save to the appropriate folder and renaming with more detail.
- Create and update the Pleading Index with each filing
- Notices/Orders with a specific event date or deadline etc.:
- Calendar in the attorney s Outlook Calendar and invite yourself.
- Calendar time to discuss with attorney and prep time
- Prep for hearings
- Schedule, calendar, create hearing binder
- Will learn to use Simplifile for E-Recordings (Deeds, Affidavit of Continuous Marriage)
File Maintenance
- You are responsible for keeping the digital file for any guardianship or estate planning matter up to date, organized and easy for anyone to access information (emails, letters, drafts of documents, finalized documents, etc.)
- Contact Distribution list should be up to date with current phone, email and address for clients and any other party involved
Keep Matters Moving Forward.
- Ensure the attorney is aware of any tasks that need to be handled in each matter
Communications
The following allows all staff and attorneys to reference should an issue arise while you are unavailable:
- Keep an Email folder in the matter updated with current emails
- Keep pdfs of calendar meeting notes
- Work with the attorney on how to keep clients informed of the status
Meetings and Phone Conferences
Schedule and prep for all appointments involving guardianship / estate planning matters
- When scheduling appointments, include in the calendar event:
- Documents the attorney will need to reference during the appointment
- Any notes or emails that will reference how the appointment was made
- Phone number information for phone conferences (Conference number and pin #)
- Emails that pertain to the matter
- Work with the finance manager to draft invoices for the attorney to review
- Have a folder ready for the appointment
- Print and include any documents the attorney will need to reference during the appointment or any documents that will need to be signed.
- Be ready to brief the attorney prior to any guardianship / estate planning meeting
- After any guardianship / estate planning meeting
- Follow up with the attorney to find out what was discussed and ensure it is carried out: implementation, follow through, closing out, rep agreement, new matter(s), invoicing, copying and mailing, etc.
Billing
- Enter any billable time into the billing software CLIO for the file on an ongoing basis
- Keep track of any unusual expenses, fees, excessive conferences, phone calls, emails, etc. for invoicing
- Work with the attorney and finance manager to ensure the invoices are accurate
Closing a File/Matter
This step is crucial to ensure there aren t additional items that need addressing, the client is aware the matter is concluded, our firm is paid and the file contains all the information in case it is needed in the future.
- Closing pleadings filed with the court
- Work with finance manager and attorney on any unpaid invoices as to how to handle (email reminder, letter from attorney, etc.)
- Help clients to think about their estate planning needs. This is a good opportunity to help them realize the lack of estate planning documents or outdated Wills, Durable Powers of Attorney, Living Wills and Designation of Health Care Surrogates can be an issue for their loved ones. If it is determined that they need to move forward with their estate planning, intake the necessary information for moving the matter forward and to prepare the necessary documents.