[Hiring] Estate Administration & Probate Paralegal @Carolina Estate Planning

Role Description

We are looking for an Estate Administration & Probate Paralegal who thrives on bringing order and momentum to complex, deadline-driven cases. This role is focused on the administration side of our practice — guiding estates through probate, working closely with the Clerk of Court, financial institutions, and CPAs, and making sure every filing, inventory, and distribution is accurate and on time.

You will work directly under the supervision of our attorneys, with additional coordination and support from our Legal Production Case Manager, who oversees workflow across all three of our practice areas (Estate Planning, Probate, and Fiduciary Litigation). This is a role for someone with hands-on probate experience who wants ownership of a caseload and a clear path to grow within a well-run, fast-growing firm.

Probate & Estate Administration Case Work

• Prepare and file core probate documents, including Notices to Creditors, inventories, accountings, and proposed distributions.
• Submit and track court filings and deadlines with the Clerk of Court.
• Coordinate with financial institutions, title companies, and CPAs to gather assets, resolve creditor claims, and finalize distributions.
• Interview clients and personal representatives to gather facts, documents, and information needed to move estates forward.
• Assist clients with completing required forms and understanding next steps in the process.

Client & Case Management

• Communicate with clients, personal representatives, and beneficiaries professionally and compassionately throughout the administration process.
• Monitor case deadlines, court dates, and milestones to keep every matter on track.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date client files and records in the firm's case management system.
• Provide clients with regular, clear updates on case status.
• Enter billable and non-billable time accurately and promptly.

Legal Research & Team Collaboration

• Conduct legal research on North Carolina probate and estate administration law, including new or novel issues as they arise.
• Prepare documents and memos for attorney review.
• Collaborate with attorneys, the Legal Production Case Manager, and fellow paralegals to keep casework moving efficiently.
• Participate in weekly case status meetings.
• Triage and prioritize emails, tasks, and calendar items daily.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience as a paralegal working in estate administration and/or probate.
• Hands-on experience preparing probate filings and working with the Clerk of Court.
• Paralegal certificate or degree from an accredited program.
• Working knowledge of North Carolina probate and estate administration law.
• Detail-oriented and organized.
• Ability to communicate clearly and compassionately with clients.
• Ability to manage multiple open matters independently while staying responsive to attorney direction.
• Experience with legal case management software is required; experience with estate planning or probate-specific platforms is a plus.

Requirements

• Filings, inventories, and accountings are accurate, complete, and submitted on time.
• Estates move through probate efficiently, with no deadlines missed and no loose ends left untracked.
• Clients and personal representatives feel informed and supported through a difficult process.
• 120 billable hours per month are consistently met.
• Files and records are always current, organized, and audit-ready.