In-House Paralegal - Multifamily Affordable/Workforce Housing Developer

McDowell Housing Partners is Hiring a Paralegal!

We are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Paralegal to join the corporate team of a developer of multi-family affordable and workforce housing. This role is crucial in supporting our mission to provide high-quality affordable housing for families and seniors.

As a key member of the legal department, you will directly support our Corporate Counsel and work closely with various teams, including Development, Finance, and Acquisitions. You’ll manage and coordinate a diverse range of activities, including real estate and financial transactions, corporate governance, compliance, regulatory matters, and other tasks related to the development of multifamily affordable housing communities.

This is a pivotal role where you’ll contribute to all aspects of the development process at the direction of the Corporate Counsel, ensuring smooth operations and collaboration across teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Document Preparation and Review:

• Prepare, review, and manage legal documents related to all facets of company’s legal functions, including transactional documents relating to real estate and finance activities, corporate formation and governance documents, construction and development related materials such as easements, plats, leases, and licenses, and vendor contracts.
• Draft basic legal documents from form, prepare new document forms, and coordinate review with corporate counsel.
• Coordinate with outside counsel, internal team, and external parties for receipt and review/analysis of legal documents as they are received, preparation and coordination of redline comparisons, and processing of prior comments, all ahead of review by corporate counsel.

Due Diligence:

• Assist corporate counsel with due diligence of properties, including coordination of title orders with outside counsel, review of title searches, surveys, environmental reports, title reports, and other pertinent documents, and research of applicable public records for pertinent documents.
• Review and order necessary documents and records from public agencies for transaction activities and coordinate the same with outside counsel.
• Communicate with outside counsel, internal team, external parties, and governmental/regulatory entities/agencies for compilation and organization of necessary due diligence materials.

Compliance and Regulatory Affairs:

• Assist in ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations pertaining to affordable housing development, including LIHTC (Low-Income Housing Tax Credit) program requirements.
• Monitor and manage regulatory and corporate filings, reports, and deadlines, including the filing of annual reports for affiliated corporate entities, submission for TINs/EINs with the IRS, and FINCEN BOIR filings.
• Communicate with outside counsel, internal team, external parties, and governmental/regulatory entities/agencies for compilation and organization of documents relating to the daily (and, as required, special) operations of the company and its affiliates.

Transaction Coordination:

• Coordinate and communicate with internal team members and external parties, such as outside counsel, lenders, title companies, government agencies, and other stakeholders involved in real estate and financing transactions.
• Facilitate smooth and timely closings by managing schedules and documentation.
• Coordinate with corporate officers and staff to arrange for and obtain signatures and information required for closing of transactions.

Legal Research:

• Conduct legal research on matters at the instruction of corporate counsel using available tools and software.

Support to Legal Team:

• Provide administrative support to corporate counsel and (at the discretion of corporate counsel) the company’s staff.
• General support to corporate counsel and (at the discretion of corporate counsel) the company’s staff with respect to the daily operations of the company and its affiliates.
• Organize and maintain legal files and databases. Develop and maintain a system for organizing and storing legal documents within company system to ensure easy access and retrieval.
• Assist with special projects as needed.

Qualifications:

• Education: Associate’s degree or higher in paralegal studies or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 2 years of experience as a paralegal, preferably with experience in real estate and corporate transactional sectors (experience working in-house, experience with affordable and/or multifamily housing, and experience with development and construction are all pluses).

• Skills:
• Proficiency in programs utilized by the team for document preparation, review, and general organization (Microsoft Office Suite, PDF review software, Smartsheet).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to autonomously manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Certifications: Paralegal certification from an accredited program is preferred.

Additional Information:

• This position may require occasional travel to project sites and meetings.
• Competitive salary and benefits package offered, commensurate upon experience.