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| CORPORATE LAW PARALEGAL |
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
PARTNERSHIPS
§ Identify and solicit information
from client necessary to draft the partnership agreement and
related filings with state and county agencies
§ Develop checklists to be used in
client interviews and as guidelines for proper formation and
operation of each entity
§ Draft statement of partnership
and certificates of limited partnership
§ Draft agreements for dissolution
of partnership and noncompetition agreements for selling partners
INCORPORATION
§ Check availability of corporate
name and reserve name
§ Draft articles of incorporation,
by-laws, organizational minutes, stock certificates for initial
subscribers, etc.
§ Obtain and prepare minute book,
corporate seal, stock certificates, stock ledger, etc.
§ Prepare and file appropriate
documents with the Secretary of State, Department of Corporations,
Internal Revenue Service and/or the Franchise Tax Board
§ Identify securities for
registration and prepare appropriate forms
§ Prepare stock certificates, loan
documents and other documents required by financial institutions
§ Prepare and file appropriate
documents with any other agencies that regulate corporations and
type of business
CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS
§ Calendar for annual meetings
§ Prepare minutes of last meeting
for shareholders and directors for placement in the minute book
§ Draft resolutions, waivers,
minutes, approvals of action without meeting and related documents
§ Draft amendment or restatement of
articles, articles of merger, dissolution of the corporation, etc.
§ Prepare and file appropriate
documents corresponding to an issuance of new stock or a transfer
of stock ownership
§ Draft corporate resolutions and
other documents involved with corporate dividends, stock splits,
purchasing shares, liquidations and distributions in general
shares
§ Draft buy-sell agreements,
employment agreements, assignments, promissory notes, leases, etc.
§ Obtain information and file
documentation necessary to qualify corporation to transact
business in foreign states
§ Maintain corporate records and
details of stock transfers
REQUIRED SKILLS
§
Familiarity with federal, state, and county forms regarding
corporations and partnerships and the filing procedures
§ Familiarity with the Corporations
Code A working knowledge of profit sharing and pension plans,
stock options, deferred compensation, incentive compensation plans
and insurance programs
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| LITIGATION
LAW PARALEGAL |
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
COMMENCEMENT OF ACTION
§ Attend initial meeting with
client
§ Organize and analyze; file and
prepare chronologies
§ Draft, file and serve summons and
complaint
§ Draft, file and serve answer or
other responsive pleadings
§ Conduct or supervise fact
investigation (i.e., local interview witnesses, site inspection,
locate and pr, material evidence)
§ Draft correspondence
§ Maintain calendar
DISCOVERY
§ Draft discovery documents or
prepare responses
§ Digest and analyze responses to
discovery requests
§ Prepare and serve deposition
notices and subpoenas
§ Arrange for court reporters
and/or videotape technicians
§ Draft deposition questions and
outline
§ Review and assemble documents to
be used at deposition
§ Prepare witnesses and clients for
depositions
§ Take notes at depositions which
can include observation of reactions of those present
§ Digest deposition transcripts
§ Attend document productions
§ Review, organize and index
documents produced
§ Respond to interrogatories,
document production
§ demands and requests for
admissions
§ Examine premises, locations and
objects and take and/or photographs
§ Draft motions and stipulations
§ Arrange for and work with expert
witnesses
§ Perform legal, non-legal and
medical research
§ Check cites and Shepardize
§ Attend independent medical
examinations with clients
§ Draft legal memoranda and/or
briefs
§ Obtain, review and analyze
medical records
§ Obtain, review and organize
damages information; calculate damages and prepare, maintain and
update damage summaries
§ Obtain factual information
regarding products, companies and individuals from various
governmental agencies, re: facilities, etc.
§ Develop information retrieval
systems using computerized , systems
§ Work with outside vendors,
investigations, etc.
§ File maintenance
TRIAL
§ Draft pretrial statements and
settlement conference memoranda
§ Prepare and serve trial subpoenas
§ Organize and mark trial exhibits
§ Prepare or supervise preparation
of graphs and demonstrative exhibits for use at trial
§ Prepare trial notebooks
§ Prepare and coordinate witnesses
§ Draft lists of documents and
testimony to use in impeaching opposition witnesses
§ Obtain jury lists and
biographical information on jurors
§ Draft jury instructions, motions
in limine and voir dire questions
§ Attend trial to take notes and
handle exhibits
POST-TRIAL
§ Order and summarize trial
transcripts for appeal purposes
§ Draft memorandum of costs or
motion to tax costs
§ Draft notice of appeal
§ Prepare garnishments, levies,
debtor examinations, etc.
§ Prepare satisfaction of judgment
SETTLEMENT
§ Prepare settlement calculations
§ Draft settlement documents,
including releases and dismissals
§ Draft motions and stipulations
for settlement
REQUIRED SKILLS
§ Good
organizational skills
§ Ability to perform legal research
and Shepardize
§ Knowledge of rules of civil
procedure and local rules of court
§ Familiarity with Judicial Council
forms and procedures for filing
§ Knowledge of computerized
information retrieval systems and research systems
§ Ability to understand and analyze
legal issues
§ Ability to write clearly and
concisely
§ Knowledge of interview and
investigation techniques
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| PROBATE/ESTATE
PLANNING LAW PARALEGAL |
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
§ Meet
with client and attorney at initial meeting
§ Review and analyze will and trust
provisions
§ Draft petition for probate and
supporting documents
§ Prepare and maintain a calendar
system
§ Notify heirs, devisees and
creditors of probate proceeding
§ Publish Notice of Petition To
Administer
§ Draft correspondence
§ Review decedent's records
§ Assist personal representative
and/or client in collecting other death benefits such as insurance
and social security benefits
§ Assist client with collecting
Social Security benefits and life insurance proceeds
§ Draft Spousal Property Petition
and Spousal Property Order
§ Draft Small Estate
Declaration/Affidavit and prepare Petition and Order For
Succession of Real Property
§ Arrange for bond or blocked
account
§ Collect information and assets
for preparation of inventory and appraisal
§ Determine titling of assets
§ Obtain federal tax I.D. number
and notify taxing authorities of fiduciary capacity
§ Evaluate assets (date of death
and alternate valuation date)
§ Draft inventory and appraisal
list
§ Maintain financial records of
estate
§ Prepare and file probate
documents in administration of estate or summary administration
§ Surrender insurance policies and
claim forms to appropriate agency
§ Complete life insurance claims
and other death benefit claim forms
§ Assist probate referee and
appraisers with asset valuation
§ Verify cash and bank balances at
date of death
§ Prepare preliminary tax returns
and evaluate cash needs
§ Obtain tax releases (Form 3571
from Franchise Tax Board)
§ Prepare income projection
§ Draft state and federal estate
tax returns
§ Draft decedent's final federal
and state individual tax returns
§ Draft state and federal fiduciary
income tax returns
§ Draft Petitions and Orders for
Partial Distribution
§ Draft accountings for probate and
trusts
§ Assist in audit of tax returns
§ Draft Petition for Final
Distribution and supporting documents
§ Draft federal gift tax returns,
income tax returns (individual and fiduciary)
§ Review documents and tax returns
in connection with an ancillary proceeding
§ Collect data for estate planning
§ Draft wills, codicils, trusts and
amendments to the trust
§ Draft trust funding documents
§ Draft powers of attorney for
health care and property management
§ Draft court documents for
conservatorship
§ Draft court documents for
guardianships
§ Draft accountings for
conservatorship/guardianships
§ Draft federal and state tax
returns for conservatorship
§ Prepare post-mortem allocations
REQUIRED SKILLS
§ Ability
to work with clients in a stressful and sensitive situation
§ Ability to write clearly and
concisely
§ Knowledge of accounting
procedures
§ Knowledge of Probate Code
§ Strong organizational skills and
proficiency in record keeping
§ Familiarity with Judicial Council
forms and filing procedures
§ Familiarity with local court
probate rules, county recorder's rules and procedures and county
assessor's requirements
§ Familiarity with the preparation
of tax returns
§ Understanding of will and trust
provisions
§ Familiarity with Independent
Administration of Estates Act
§ Knowledge of distribution and
closing of estates
§ Knowledge of computer use and
software programs applicable to probate and estate planning
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| TRANSACTIONAL
LAW PARALEGAL |
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
§ Draft
subdivision, condominium and timeshare registrations for in-state
and out-of-state registrations
§ Draft registrations of
recreational subdivisions for federal registrations
§ Organize recording procedures for
large-scale recording and prepare draft of opinion letters
§ Perform financial calculations
(i.e., amortization, net present value, discounting, APR, etc.)
§ Conduct title searches in the
recorder's office or order title search and updates
§ Prepare a preliminary abstract of
title and opinion on the title
§ Negotiate title insurance
coverage
§ Arrange for the purchase of title
insurance
§ Assist clients in obtaining
mortgage financing
§ Prepare mortgage packages for
sale to secondary lenders
§ Assist in recording mortgages
§ Compile tax receipts
§ Adjust property tax for closing
§ Record capital gain or loss in
clients' tax returns
§ Prepare appropriate capital gains
tax affidavit
§ Draft Truth-in-Lending disclosure
statements
§ Draft and review permits and
easements
§ Draft, review and plat legal
descriptions
§ Draft grant, warranty and other
deeds
§ Draft deeds of trust and other
loan documentation
§ Draft leases, assignments,
extensions, amendments
§ Draft contracts, assignments and
modifications
§ Blackline changes in documents as
each is revised
§ Draft and arrange for filing of
UCC filings, amendments, extensions and terminations
§ Prepare closing checklist for
acquisition and loan transactions
§ Draft escrow instructions
§ Analyze and digest leases,
assignments, extensions, amendments and deeds
§ Review and determine validity of
mineral claims through search of BLM records
§ Check and review zoning,
Subdivision Map Act and comprehensive plan designations; obtain
letter on designation as closing requirements
§ Review land surveys, parcel maps
and plats
§ Draft closing statements and
arrange closing date
§ Coordinate closing of escrow with
all parties
§ Order amortization tables
§ Prepare equalization forms
§ Arrange for discharge of mortgage
§ Obtain closing figures from bank,
and pro-rate all closing figures
§ Assist attorney at closing
§ Notarize documents at closing
§ Follow up on post-closing items,
including preparation of closing index and binder
§ Coordinate office handling of
insurance claims of clients
§ Calculate real and personal
property taxes
REQUIRED SKILLS
§ Notary
license preferred
§ Ability to read and understand
legal descriptions, title reports, leases and contracts
§ Familiarity with title company
forms (i.e. escrow instructions, preliminary title search, CCR's,
easements descriptions, liens and recorded judgments, policy of
title insurance, trust deeds and grant deeds)
§ Knowledge of local zoning
regulations
§ Knowledge of local property tax
schedules and rules
§ Familiarity with Subdivision Map
Act
§ Knowledge of basic accounting
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