Senior Paralegal

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Bonus based on performance
• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Opportunity for advancement
• Paid time off
• Training & development
• Vision insurance

| | SOUDER LAW GROUP Spacemakers · Institution Builders · Change Agents Senior Paralegal Job Description  ·  Real Estate  Newark, NJ  ·  Full-Time

Position Summary

| PRACTICE GROUP | Real Estate, Land Use & Redevelopment; cross-practice Litigation support
| REPORTS TO | Managing Partner; matter-level direction from assigned attorneys
| SUPERVISES | Provides guidance to Paralegals and Legal Assistants
| LOCATION | Newark, NJ  |  570 Broad Street, Suite 1400, Newark, NJ 07102
| EMPLOYMENT TYPE | Full-time
| BILLABLE TARGET | Minimum 1,800 hours per year
| COMPENSATION | $80,000 - $110,000 +  benefits and 401(k)

| OUR MISSION “Souder Law Group's sole purpose is fighting to create the space you think should exist. SLG helps people develop a better understanding of how the law impacts life.”

Who We Are

Souder Law Group is a Newark-based New Jersey firm built on a simple idea: lawyers create the rules of life, and those rules define space. We are Spacemakers, Institution Builders, and Change Agents. Our Inclusive Legal Solutions span real estate and economic development, government affairs, education and nonprofit, health and cannabis, and litigation, with a focus on urban communities across the Northeast. Our Real Estate Group pairs commercial and residential real estate skill with a deep understanding of community needs, guiding owners, developers, lenders, housing authorities, and municipalities through redevelopment agreements, PILOT and tax-exemption programs, land-use approvals, and complex legal disputes.

The Role

The Senior Paralegal is integral to the Real Estate Group, providing advanced support on complex transactions and projects. The role carries a high level of responsibility and requires the ability to work independently under tight deadlines, communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and outside parties, and lead the paralegal and support team by example.

Core Responsibilities

■    Land use. Prepare land-use applications, including zoning board submissions, site plan approvals, and variance requests. Research land-use regulations and zoning ordinances, prepare public hearing documentation, and coordinate meetings with municipal authorities.

■    Tax abatement. Support PILOT, tax-abatement, and financial-incentive applications from start to finish. Research local and state tax laws and ordinances for attorney review, and prepare and file required documentation.

■    Commercial transactions. Support lease negotiations, purchase agreements, and financing documentation. Conduct title, lien, and municipal searches and coordinate property inspections.

■    Transaction management. Manage all phases of transactions, including coordinating closings, reviewing title commitments and underlying documents, resolving title issues, and finalizing title policies.

■    Document preparation and review. Draft, for attorney review, purchase agreements, leases, deeds, mortgages and other security instruments, easements, escrow and closing instructions, owner affidavits, and closing certificates. Review surveys, title commitments, and exception documents for accuracy and consistency.

■    Regulatory due diligence. Analyze zoning ordinances, statutes, and land-use regulations to support attorney advice on compliance and development potential, and prepare variance, special-use, and rezoning applications.

■    Client and third-party coordination. Work with clients, title companies, surveyors, engineers, and regulatory agencies, and assemble site plans, environmental assessments, and other submission materials.

■    Project oversight. Maintain transaction checklists, organize files, track key milestones, and confirm that all documents are properly recorded and filed.

■    Leadership and mentorship. Guide Paralegals and support staff, share best practices, coordinate ongoing projects, and uphold quality standards.

■    Technology. Apply advanced skill with Microsoft 365, Adobe Acrobat, DocuSign, Clio Manage and Clio Grow, SharePoint, and real estate software across electronic and physical filing systems.

Litigation Practice Support

While this role is centered on the Real Estate Group, the Senior Paralegal also supports the firm's litigation practice when transactional matters become disputes.

■    Cross-practice support. When real estate matters move into litigation, including title, lease, foreclosure, and prerogative writ disputes, support the litigation team with record assembly, transaction histories, and document organization.

■    Discovery and exhibits. Organize document productions and prepare hearing and trial exhibits drawn from transaction and land-use files.

■    Backup coverage. Serve as backup litigation paralegal when assigned by the Managing Partner or the Head of Litigation.

Qualifications

REQUIRED

■    Bachelor's degree, or a paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program.

■    Minimum of 7 years of experience as a real estate paralegal in a law firm, with 7 to 10 years preferred, handling complex commercial and multi-state transactions.

■    Essential experience in title, survey, and zoning review.

■    Ability to meet a minimum of 1,800 billable hours per year.

PREFERRED

■    New Jersey land-use, redevelopment, and PILOT experience.

■    Experience supervising or training paralegals.

■    Advanced Clio Manage proficiency.

Core Competencies

■    Attention to detail. Manages multiple transactions simultaneously with accurate documentation.

■    Problem solving. Identifies and resolves transaction and title discrepancies efficiently.

■    Time management. Manages tight deadlines, meets billable minimums, and prioritizes effectively.

■    Communication. Interacts professionally with clients, attorneys, and municipal agencies.

■    Dependability. Punctual, available, and accessible in person, by phone, and by email when matters demand extended hours.

How Success Is Measured

■    Meet the 1,500-hour annual billable minimum.

■    Close assigned transactions on schedule with complete, accurate closing sets.

■    Clear title issues before closing deadlines.

■    Receive positive attorney and client feedback on accuracy and responsiveness.

■    Develop Paralegals and support staff, measured by the quality of their work product.

Compensation and Benefits

■    Salary: $80,000 - $110,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

■    Health, dental, and vision insurance.

■    401(k) with employer contribution.

■    Paid time off and paid holidays.

■    Professional development and continuing education budget.

■    Direct mentorship from the Managing Partner and leadership of high-profile redevelopment work.

Compensation is disclosed in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency law (effective June 1, 2025), which requires each posting for a new job or transfer opportunity to state the wage or salary, or its range, and a general description of benefits.

Our Values — In Our Own Words

Every SLG team member is hired, coached, and evaluated against the firm's nine core values.

| 1.  Community “We are of the community, working together for our collective betterment.” | 2.  Empathy “We ensure our interactions are guided by understanding and compassion.” | 3.  Comradery “We draw strength from our collective expertise and dedication.”
| 4.  Integrity “We embody honesty and transparency.” | 5.  Persistent “We find solutions and navigate challenges with resilience until we achieve the outcomes our clients need and deserve.” | 6.  Respect “We lead by example, embracing our role as catalysts for positive change.”
| 7.  Assessable “We ensure our clients have the support they need.” | 8.  Courageous “We stand up for what is right with unwavering resolve.” | 9.  Accountability “We are committed to excellence without excuses.”

Working Conditions

Standard business hours with extended hours around closings, filing deadlines, and hearings. Fast-paced transactional environment that rewards organization and adaptability.

How to Apply

Send your resume and a short cover note to View email address on ziprecruiter.com. We review applications on a rolling basis. Shortlisted candidates complete SLG's values-based Candidate Questionnaire, which also serves as a writing sample, before an in-person or virtual interview at our Newark office.

| EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Souder Law Group is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals. We strongly encourage applicants from historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply. This job description summarizes the principal duties of the position; it is not an employment contract, and the firm may modify duties and assignments to meet client and firm needs.