Entry Level Global Finance Paralegal

About the Role

An entry-level opportunity to develop skills and gain expertise as a Corporate Finance Paralegal by working on complex, high-value lending and structured finance matters. This role offers a collaborative environment with the opportunity to exercise a significant degree of responsibility and independent judgment.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop an understanding of the elements of negotiated lending and structured finance transactions and support lawyers and clients.
• Learn the chronology of a transaction and assist on closings, including:
• Preparing and compiling deliverables.
• Drafting closing documentation.
• Preparing and maintaining closing checklists.
• Obtaining and reviewing formation documents.

(All under the supervision of an Attorney or senior Paralegal)

• Gain an understanding of documents necessary for a finance closing, including but not limited to:
• Public records.
• Lien searches.
• Officer’s/secretary’s certificates.
• Formation and transaction authorizing resolutions.
• Appointment of agent for service of process.
• Filings with secretaries of state and other public filings.
• Signature pages.
• Learn the elements and purpose of a lien search, including:
• Knowledge of different types of liens/lien searches.
• How and where to search for types of liens against a particular debtor.
• Engaging and interacting with corporate service providers to facilitate searches.
• Reviewing search results.
• Gain basic knowledge of entity types and their differences, and learn how to order and review corporate documents, including good standing certificates.
• Prepare and circulate signature pages (including using DocuSign or other electronic platforms when appropriate).
• Develop understanding of procedures for and facilitate delivery of original notes, equity certificates, and other possessory collateral.

(Under the supervision of an Attorney or senior Paralegal)

• Coordinate transaction workflows and manage closing and post-closing processes.

(Under the supervision of an Attorney or senior Paralegal)

• Review closing documents for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with transaction requirements.
• Identify open items and coordinate their completion and delivery with a senior Paralegal or Attorney.
• Develop understanding of basic UCC Article 8 and 9 concepts, including:
• Purpose of a UCC-1 filing.
• Components of a UCC-1 filing.
• How to prepare a UCC-1 face page and exhibit.
• Differences between a UCC-1 and a UCC-3.
• Actions that may be effected by the filing of a UCC-3.
• Drafting UCC collateral descriptions.
• Preparing schedules summarizing UCC filings received via lien searches.
• Developing understanding of Sidley’s UCC review procedures and process.
• Preparing and filing UCC financing statements, amendments, continuations, and terminations.
• Develop expertise in researching and analyzing Article 9 issues and other UCC matters.
• Assemble master closing sets and prepare and distribute electronic closing sets and closing books (where applicable).
• Learn how to set up a virtual or physical data room.
• Communicate effectively with other Paralegals, Attorneys, clients, opposing counsel, filing offices, and third-party vendors.
• Assist with other transactional and team responsibilities as needed.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good judgment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced transactional practice.
• Ability to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities.
• DocuSign (or other electronic platforms)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 0 – 3 years of paralegal experience supporting commercial finance, secured lending, securitization, or other financial transactions in a law firm or comparable professional-services environment.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple transactions, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Excellent attention to detail, judgment, communication, and follow-through.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced transactional practice.
• Paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program (preferred).
• Knowledge of how to perform internet research/searches (preferred).

The demands of the transactional practice may require overtime during active closings and other periods of increased activity.