Senior Paralegal

Job Description

Job Description

The Senior Paralegal provides high-level legal and administrative support across a diverse range of corporate matters, including corporate governance, subsidiary and entity management, contract administration, financing transactions, real estate, development, franchise administration, lease management, insurance, and litigation.

This position works closely with executive leadership, internal stakeholders, and outside counsel and requires an experienced, highly organized professional who can independently manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining strict confidentiality.

Corporate Governance & Entity Management

• Assist with and track the formation and dissolution of affiliated entities.
• Obtain federal tax identification numbers and applicable state accounts for newly formed entities.
• Coordinate and track state annual report filings for the company and its affiliates.
• Maintain organizational structure charts, corporate minutes, and legal entity records.
• Maintain and update the company's legal entity database.

Finance & Corporate Transactions

• Assist executive leadership and corporate counsel with due diligence and closings related to financing transactions.
• Organize and maintain closing documentation and transaction binders.

Real Estate & M&A

• Support executive leadership and legal counsel with due diligence and closings for real estate transactions, mergers, and acquisitions.
• Obtain and coordinate closing documentation required by lenders and other transaction parties.
• Calculate and monitor due diligence deadlines under purchase and sale agreements.
• Prepare and maintain transaction status reports for executive leadership.
• Maintain organized closing records and the company's real estate database.

Development & Franchise Administration

• Track development activity and contractual requirements related to new locations.
• Assist with the preparation and submission of documentation required for franchise agreements.
• Track franchise agreement expiration and renewal dates.
• Maintain organized franchise files and the franchise agreement database.

Lease Administration

• Track rent escalations, notice requirements, renewals, and expiration dates for intercompany and third-party leases.
• Prepare intercompany leases and lease termination agreements.
• Coordinate and maintain lease files and related databases.

Insurance Administration

• Maintain property exposure data used for annual insurance renewals.
• Assist with property insurance renewals.
• Coordinate flood insurance and surety bonds and track renewal and cancellation dates.
• Serve as a liaison with insurance brokers related to property acquisitions, dispositions, and location openings and closings.
• Obtain and track certificates of insurance required under third-party leases.

Litigation & Legal Administration

• Receive and coordinate responses to lawsuits, garnishments, subpoenas, service of process, and other legal matters.
• Serve as a corporate liaison with insurance carriers and defense counsel on litigation matters.
• Research and coordinate responses to discovery requests.
• Coordinate corporate depositions and related documentation.
• Maintain organized legal files and the litigation database.

Additional Responsibilities

• Conduct research and provide administrative support on special projects and other legal or business matters as assigned.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in Paralegal Studies or a paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program.
• Five or more years of relevant paralegal or legal administration experience.
• Working knowledge of contract administration, real estate transactions and administration, corporate governance, and litigation.
• Database management experience required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.