Paralegal

At Smith Debnam, our philosophy is simple - to provide the best possible value to our clients. We firmly believe that the key to delivering such a value is equally simple - the people who make it happen. Our professional service team, the attorneys, paralegals, and staff, are therefore our most important assets. We are committed to maintaining an environment that provides professional fulfillment, actively supports professional development, and communicates the value of each person's contributions. 

Smith Debnam has been providing legal services to businesses and individuals in the Carolinas for more than 50 years. We provide employees with an enriching, professional work environment that rewards employee excellence, fosters teamwork, and supports professional development. Our employees also enjoy competitive salaries, quality benefit programs and flexible work hours.

Summary of Position:

Under the general direction and supervision of the attorney(s), the paralegal is responsible for providing legal, administrative, and office support in our Charleston office. General duties include document drafting, research, interacting with client and court personnel, monitoring hearing schedules and management of case files. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Draft routine pleadings, affidavits, orders, and other legal documentation.
• Proofread and edit legal documents and other written materials to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Maintain document control by tracking and reviewing case files in client systems. 
• Electronic filing in state and federal courts within South Carolina. 
• Provide case updates to client and supervising attorney(s). 
• Maintain legal calendaring system to ensure timely compliance with various legal deadlines.
• Analyze and coordinate the gathering of information, materials, documents, reports, and evidence to respond to discoveries. 
• Utilize technical information to make independent decisions and recommendations to the supervising attorney(s).
• Correspond with various court personnel, local counsel, and adversary parties and attorneys. 
• Act as the local point of contact for the Charleston office by partnering with the Raleigh-based Office Administrator to coordinate office operations, administrative activities, and vendor relationships.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by supervisor and/or attorney(s).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Basic understanding of litigation legal process or real estate mortgages.
• 1-3 years of experience as a paralegal or legal assistant.
• Associate’s degree or Paralegal Certification preferred.
• Intermediate to advance skill level in Microsoft Office products, including Word, Outlook, and Excel.
• Proven ability to work within a Team.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong ability to analyze and problem solve.
• Demonstrated initiative and self-motivation. 
• Proven ability to manage multiple assignments, effectively organize and prioritize work tasks, and efficiently manage time.