The Regional Legal Information Specialist actively maintains the Conservancy’s legal conservation database and provides standard reports on the Conservancy’s land and water protection activity in assigned geographic areas. S/he manages tracking of legal documents and files, and ensure all documents are sent to Worldwide Office in a timely manner. S/he assists with real estate transactions and other complex conservation projects, contracts, document preparation, and financial functions. Duties include creation, implementation and maintenance of systems for efficient operation of the legal team that supports the Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Africa business units. S/he will be a part of the Southeastern Regional Office Legal team of four attorneys and three paralegals.
With minimal supervision from a Conservancy attorney, the Regional Legal Information Specialist actively manages and maintains the Conservancy’s legal conservation database and reports on the Conservancy’s land and water protection activity in the U.S. and internationally. S/he assists Worldwide Office, Legal Resource and Business Unit staff with project approval packages, document management and questions pertaining to land/water protection documents and files. S/he provides training and support for business unit conservation project information management staff. S/he can efficiently and effectively articulate basic legal concepts and internal policies and procedures to others. Essential functions include assisting attorneys with real estate transactions, government grants, contracts, and other projects. Duties include managing files, drafting routine legal documents, correspondence and forms, entering data into the Conservancy’s legal conservation database and preparing financial information for posting to the Conservancy’s general ledger. Generates periodic standard reports for internal and external purposes.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Assists in developing and implementing appropriate systems and processes related to conservation reporting and analysis.
- Maintains relational database programs and provides technical expertise to Conservancy staff.
- Supports and coordinates complex and/or high value real estate transactions, government grants, contracts, regulatory compliance filings, or other specialized legal areas.
- Ensures legal commitments, Conservancy policies and procedures, and legal requirements are met and managed for compliance.
- Maintains accurate electronic and physical files for projects, land transactions and non-real estate contracts.
- Drafts and revises complex legal documents for review by attorney.
- Independently drafts well-written memoranda, correspondence, and transaction documents (such as escrow instructions and deeds) and revises as necessary.
- Initiates and completes financial and accounting forms related to legal matters, and ensures that such forms comply with Conservancy policies and procedures.
- Assists business unit staff with preparation of project approval packages.
- Independently interacts and coordinates with assigned business unit staff and outside parties.
- Provides guidance, business process training and database training to paralegals, legal support staff, business unit staff and volunteers.
- Ensures integrity of both data collection and management relating to conservation projects and project statistics.
- Maintains effective organizational and reminder systems for all projects.
- Processes cash receipts, arranging payment of bills incurred by the legal department and provides financial information related to Conservancy real estate projects to the Conservancy’s Finance Department, often using specialized software programs.
- Provides backup for paralegals, as needed.
- Assists TNC attorneys with coordinating review and approval process of real estate transactions, including:
- Assisting internal clients with preparation of supporting documentation for transactions.
- Performing preliminary review of land surveys, environmental assessments and documentation of real estate value.
- Ordering and reviewing title insurance commitments.
- Drafting closing instructions and documents.
- Preparing closing memos and completing data entry in Conservancy’s legal database.
- Obtaining legal documents after closing and ensuring compliance with closing instructions.
- Experience maintaining a centralized relational database system.
- Experience implementing and directing multiple projects.
- Experience using MS office software including Word, Excel, Power Point, and Access.
- Experience writing, editing and proofreading.
PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- Relevant legal experience in real estate transactions and contracts administration.
- Experience with accounting/financial issues and analysis.
- Organizational and administrative skills, including managing project details, working with competing priorities, and meeting deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Experience with implementing records retention schedules and/or file destruction timetables.
- Cross-cultural experience and willingness to work with colleagues in remote locations appreciated.
The salary range for this position is $48,000 - $49,500.