Paralegal

Position Title: Paralegal

Department: Legal 

Reports To: Legal Department

Office Location: Norwalk, CT (Hybrid – minimum 3 days in office per week)

Commonfund is a leading asset management firm that empowers educational institutions, foundations, pension funds, family offices, RIAs, and other sophisticated investors to achieve their most important goals. Through our outsourced CIO business, we provide nonprofits access to what we believe are world-class investment management solutions. Our private equity business provides access to private equity investments for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations seeking to diversify their portfolios with private investments. Our Commonfund Institute aims to be among the nation’s most trusted source for relevant, useful and proprietary data, analytics and best practices in financial management. All our businesses are united by a relentless commitment to investment performance, matched by an equally relentless commitment to the values of trust, transparency and ethical behavior that have inspired us since our founding more than fifty years ago. www.commonfund.org 

Principal Responsibilities:

• Coordination of fund formation and fund offering materials, including assisting in drafting and editing of formation materials and liaising with outside counsel and investment teams to track formation process.
• Completion and coordination of state, federal, non-U.S. and corporate filings related to investment funds, multiple registered investment advisers and a broker-dealer.
• Management of documentation relating to complex financial and account relationships entered into by Commonfund investment programs.
• Assistance with filings and regulatory correspondence with federal, state or foreign agencies and authorities; maintenance of good standing of all entities; certifications to outside parties; and general corporate governance processes and record-keeping.
• Management and coordination of transactional closings (including public and private equity funds) and related documentation.
• Own legal entity management tracking and related document management.
• Assist with AML/KYC processes, including review and organize investor onboarding documentation, subscription materials and beneficial ownership certifications, and coordinate with the Compliance Department on OFAC screening and related investor due diligence tracking.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with various departments on projects, assignments and required filings, including direct coordination with the General Counsel, the Chief Compliance Officer and other executive personnel.
• Coordinate closely with outside counsel on governance matters and corporate transactions and tracking deliverables, timelines and open items through completion.
• Review of basic agreements, including service provider and non-disclosure agreements.
• General paralegal support.

Required Background and Skills:

•  Bachelor’s Degree
• 3+ years’ experience as a paralegal or in a similar legal operations role; NALA or NFPA paralegal certification a plus
• Knowledge of and experience in investment management business preferred
• An ambitious, proactive individual with a collaborative attitude and the ability to work well within a team and across multiple departments
• Detail oriented, highly analytical, innovative and well organized
• Independent decision-making, problem solving and judgment; a self-directed learner
• Strong computer skills and working knowledge of Microsoft office products including Excel. Working familiarity with AI tools a plus
• Proficiency with legal technology tools is a plus, including document management platform (e.g., iManage), entity management systems (e.g., CT Corporation) and e-signature platforms (e.g., DocuSign). Ability and willingness to learn new systems quickly
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion, understanding that the role involves non-public financial, legal and investor information across multiple regulated entities
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Client communication experience preferred
• Exceptional multi-tasking skills
• Ability to meet strict deadlines