Litigation Paralegal

OVERVIEW:

Responsible for paralegal duties in assisting attorneys or department managers in preparation of required legal documents, pleadings, drafts, or correspondence, legal research, responding to client requests, tracking file locations, preparation of status reports to clients, and provision of other administrative assistance required for efficient department operation, and drafting correspondence, and responding to difficult inquiries from clients or courts. Also assists with Probate litigation case processes.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Manage the attorney’s case and court calendar of attorney’s schedule of case deadlines and court hearings. Calendar deadlines on all newly opened cases.
2. Communicate with clients via the clients’ chosen methods and systems (Black Knight, Legal Tracker, etc.) Communicate with other divisions of MWZM (foreclosure, bankruptcy) with strong attention to detail and courteousness.
3. Oversee (assisted by the Dallas filing team) the filing of all of the attorney’s complaints, motions, responses, replies, proposed orders, garnishments, executions, etc. utilizing the federal court’s rules and its ECF/Pacer system, as well as the various e-filing systems and paper filing rules and procedures of Tennessee state courts, including coordination of service of process with process servers and service copies of all documents via mail or e-mail on the certificate of service.
4. Request stamped copies of court documents when necessary to maintain files and certified or exemplified copies to domesticate judgments, and coordinate with the attorney and foreclosure associates to record judgments and domestications.
5. Ensure (assisted by the Dallas invoicing team) that fees and costs are requested according to client-firm agreements and entered into client and MWZM systems appropriately accordingly to client and MWZM policy. Inputs paralegal hourly billing time and assists the attorney in oversight of attorney’s hourly billing to ensure the firm is being compensated accurately for the work being performed.
6. Oversee the general flow of the attorney’s caseload, to ensure that all cases are notated monthly and that cases are closed and removed from the attorney’s active caseload when litigation concludes and invoices are paid.
7. Completes initial drafting of pleadings using templates and samples to prepare complaints for suits on the note, judicial foreclosures, reformations, and other simple pleadings for attorney review. Completes initial drafting of answers for attorney review. Assists attorney in drafting and formatting of more complex legal documents (motions to dismiss, interpleaders, motions for summary judgment) and the compilation of exhibits for filing.
8. Receives and maintains the electronic storage of all court filings and entered orders of all of the attorney’s cases and inputs them into the MWZM case management system.
9. Communicates via phone and email to initiate and facilitate communication between the litigation attorney and borrowers, defendants, clients, opposing counsel, and court staff.
10. Assists other departments within MWZM at the discretion and direction of the litigation attorney and/or MWZM management.
11. Assists the attorney in the procurement and dissemination of all interrogatory responses and discovery requests.
12. Assists the attorney with the taking of depositions.
13. Assists the attorney in the preparation of physical exhibits and other aspects of trial preparation and in court trial administration.
14. Assists the attorney with internet case research via Lexis as needed.
15. Assists the attorney with blue book citation, and updating authority (Shepardizing).

PRIMARY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Obtain documents needed for application from clients; draft application for attorney review; upload application to system. Maintain steps in client systems.
2. Correspond with courts and prepare needed documentation for hearings to ensure attorney is available and prepared. Coordinate with local counsel to represent the firm at local hearings. Monitor hearing schedules with courts.
3. Prepare motions and orders as needed to process cases.
4. Review information and download documents from the County, District and Federal Court websites.
5. Drafts legal documents of advanced difficulty and draft required correspondence with outside attorneys or clients, may submit documents to county clerk offices for recording, enter recording information into the computer system and forward data to other departments as necessary.
6. Prepares for hearings by conducting necessary communications and assembling required data and records, and attends hearings as required. Prepares pleadings or other documents for attorneys addressing cases involving advanced legal, bankruptcy or title issues.
7. Maintain and update internal electronic systems and various client systems including, but not limited to: Tempo,BKFS/LoanSphere, Maintain and update internal electronic systems and various client systems including, but not limited to: Lenstar, Tempo, LPS/BKFS, Serengeti, VendorScape, and assist attorney with editing and proofreading legal forms and documents.
   
8. Manage attorney calendar and court deadlines.
9. Performs additional duties as requested

CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Ability to work in a fast pace environment and meet/exceed priority deadlines.
2. Dependable and trustworthy.
3. Maintain confidentiality and business ethics in all matters.
4. Positive attitude and professional demeanor at all times.
5. Desire to improve on quality and efficiency.

SKILLS / EXPERIENCE:

1. High school diploma or equivalent (higher education in business or related field a plus)
2. Minimum of 4 years of paralegal / management level support.
3. Excellent communication skills. Must be able to correspondence professional: both verbal and written.
4. Experience in litigation and/or mortgage servicing litigation a plus.
5. Able to perform work in various data-base systems with high quality and quantity work output.
6. Competent in multi-tasking and organized environment where confidentiality is critical.