Description
Sun Communities, Inc. is seeking a Corporate Paralegal to support its growing legal team in managing corporate governance, securities compliance, and transactional matters for a publicly-traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).
The ideal candidate will have experience in corporate and transactional law, securities compliance, and public company matters, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. This role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work collaboratively across departments including Finance, M&A, Investor Relations, and executive leadership. The Paralegal will be instrumental in maintaining corporate records, drafting legal documents, supporting mergers and acquisitions activity, supporting corporate governance matters including board work, coordinating with and managing outside counsel, and helping establish processes needed to support the Company’s growing legal team.
Job Duties
- Assist with drafting, reviewing, and managing commercial contracts including vendor agreements, property management agreements, purchase and sale agreements, lease agreements, and other commercial contracts related to community and corporate operations. (Essential)
- Coordinate due diligence efforts, prepare closing documents, and maintain transaction files. (Essential)
- Support corporate governance activities, including preparation of board materials, maintenance of corporate records, management of board portal platforms, public company filings, and coordination of entity formations and dissolutions. (Essential)
- Help with litigation matters by coordinating with inside and outside counsel, organizing case files, tracking deadlines and discovery responses, preparing correspondence, and maintaining litigation tracking systems. (Essential)
- Conduct legal research on various topics including real estate law, landlord-tenant matters, corporate law, securities regulations, and other issues relevant to REIT operations and manufactured housing or RV communities. (Essential)
- Maintain and organize legal department files, contracts database, and document management systems to ensure efficient retrieval and compliance with retention policies.
- Assist licensing team, as needed, to coordinate and track insurance claims, certificates of insurance, and compliance with insurance requirements across the property portfolio.
- Assist with regulatory compliance matters including monitoring changes in laws affecting manufactured housing and RV resort operations, preparing compliance reports, and supporting internal policy development.
- Coordinate and oversee outside counsel to track progress on outstanding matters and ensure matters are addressed and completed in a timely manner.
- Process and track legal invoices from outside counsel, manage legal budget tracking, and ensure proper coding and approval of legal expenses.
- Prepare and file documents with courts, government agencies, and regulatory bodies including UCC filings, trademark applications, and corporate registrations.
- Support the legal team with special projects including policy updates, training materials, and process improvements.
- Other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies (Required)
- Bachelor's Degree (Preferred)
- 3 years of paralegal experience (Required)
- 3 years experience with real estate, corporate, securities, or commercial litigation (Preferred)
- Strong knowledge of legal terminology, procedures, and document preparation
- Experience with contract management and review
- Proficiency with legal research tools such as Westlaw, LexisNexis, or similar platforms
- Excellent organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy in document preparation and review
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and document management systems
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive information
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams
- Experience with corporate governance, SEC filings, and board portal software is a plus
- Knowledge of real estate law, REIT regulations, or manufactured housing industry is preferred but not required
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while knowing when to escalate issues
- Preferred Certifications/Licensures:(Notary Public)
- Preferred Certifications/Licensures:(Paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program)