Phelps Dunbar LLP is offering an opportunity for a Commercial Real Estate Paralegal in the Baton Rouge office. The Commercial Real Estate Paralegal will perform various substantive legal duties under the supervision and direction of the attorneys in the Business practice group. The ideal candidate will have strong technology skills, work ethic, and attention to detail, with an understanding of real estate, contracts, and transactional law.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assists with all aspects of complex commercial real estate and corporate transactions, including creating disbursement statements, closing documents, and title policies. Past experience should include experience in all stages of the pre and post-closing process for commercial real estate and finance transactions, including, without limitation, communicating with parties to yield a seamless and efficient closing, ordering title, title review and clearance, preparing title commitments, obtaining payoff letters, submitting title requirements to lender, organization of loan documents, balancing and disbursing closed files, and issuing final title policies.
• Analyzes title documents, real property legal descriptions and surveys;
• Coordinates with outside title companies and law firms regarding title insurance policy issues and satisfaction of closing conditions.
• Addresses post-closing matters and oversees preparation of closing binders.
• Drafts UCC financing statements, contracts, financial documents, resolutions and corporate documents.
• Meet position billing requirements and required deadlines.

Education and Experience Required:

• A minimum of a high school diploma or GED is required. A four-year college degree and/or a certificate in paralegal studies is preferred. Significant prior experience may be substituted for a combination of the educational requirements.
• A minimum of 3-5 years of paralegal experience in the Business/Corporate area is preferred. 

Qualifications and Skills Required:

• Must have a high level of computer literacy including proficiency in MS Office Software Suite and a working knowledge of a document management system.
• Ability to utilize current technology is required. Experience using electronic resources and support software is strongly preferred.
• Excellent time management, organizational abilities, attention to detail and strong proofreading skills are also required.

Performance Measures:

• Maintain high level of confidentiality.
• Ability to perform responsibilities as outlined above, both in terms of quality and quantity of work.
• Ability to meet firm billing requirements.
• Ability to work independently; degree of motivation and initiative.
• Dependability and cooperation with attorneys, clients and other support staff.
• Ability to meet deadlines.