Paralegal

Department: Trust & Estates

Location: Rochester

Classification: Nonexempt 

Reports to: Partners and Associates

Company Overview:

Woods Oviatt Gilman, LLP is a leading and reputable full-service law firm dedicated to providing exceptional legal services to our clients. With a team of highly skilled and experienced attorneys, we strive to deliver comprehensive and effective solutions to meet the diverse needs of our clients. Our headquarters is in Rochester, NY with additional offices in Albany and Buffalo, NY.

We foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment where every team member is valued and respected. We encourage open communication, teamwork, and professional growth. Our firm promotes a healthy work-life balance and supports the well-being of our employees.

Summary:

We are looking for a self-motivated Paralegal to join our dynamic team.  The ideal candidate will have a minimum of three (3) years of experience in assisting with Medicaid planning and the completion and submission of Medicaid applications, as well as experience with aspects of the estate and trust administration process. There will be substantial client contact as well as interaction with the department’s attorneys. The position offers an excellent opportunity to assume significant responsibility and hands-on experience in a collaborative, sophisticated, and team-oriented work environment. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assisting attorneys with the drafting and reviewing of Medicaid applications and supporting documents 
• Following up directly with clients to gather supporting documentation
• Organize Medicaid applications for attorney review and submission
• Assist in preparing responses to documentation requests by the Department of Social Services and Human Resource Administration
• Gathers and organizes necessary documents (i.e. financial records, vital statistics, etc.) to file a completed Medicaid Application with DSS
• Proactively anticipates and resolves issues quickly to move the application forward
• Communicate with clients, financial advisors, and insurance companies via mail, email, and telephone to gather information necessary to complete an application
• Keeps track of and posts all billable and non-billable work
• Drafting health care proxies, powers of attorney, and deed requests
• Assist in preparing documents for signings
• Drafting general letters

Qualifications and Skills:

• Three (3) years of estate planning, estate administration, or Medicaid planning
• Bachelor's Degree preferred
• Paralegal Certificate preferred
• Ability to work independently and in a team setting
• Ability to multi-task
• Excellent initiative and follow-through
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills
• Excellent grammar and communication skills
• Dependable
• Excellent customer service
• Strong work ethic
• Ability to maintain composure in high-volume periods
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Proficiency in estate planning and probate document drafting software

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. This is a snapshot of the core functions and responsibilities. All inquiries will be handled with the utmost confidentiality. The compensation range for this position is $25-35 per hour, representing our good faith and reasonable estimate of the potential compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on various factors, including the candidate's qualifications, experience, skill set, and office location.

Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value an open mind, dedication to work, and a collaborative spirit. We hire based on these qualities, a job’s requirements, our business needs, and an applicant’s qualifications. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind—in the hiring process or in the workplace. We comply with the ADA and consider reasonable accommodation measures that may be necessary for eligible applicants/employees to perform essential functions. We participate in E-Verify. We will provide the federal government with employees’ Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the U.S. We will only use E-Verify once an employee has accepted a job offer and completed Form I-9.