Jr. Legal Assistant - Real Property Specialist

Who We Are:

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is the leader of a movement to connect everyone in America to the outdoors. A national nonprofit, TPL partners with communities to create high-quality parks and protect public lands—especially in communities that need them most—to improve public health, create social cohesion, strengthen historic and cultural connection to place, and increase climate resilience. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, generated over $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.

Position Summary:

The Jr. Legal Assistant - Real Property Specialist provides legal and other support to attorneys, program, project and other support staff including finance and philanthropy to further Trust for Public Lands park creation priorities and land protection, working primarily in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Primary responsibilities are completing assigned tasks and assisting in the documentation and completion of transactions and activities that are legally sound and consistent with Trust for Public Lands mission, authority, policies and procedures.

Essential Functions :

- Coordinates the preparation, review, execution and tracking of agreements supporting park creation, community engagement, land protection, construction projects , and other legal documents under the supervision of legal counsel.

- Coordinates collection and review of insurance, licensing, warranty and compliance documentation from vendors, contractors, public agencies and project partners, etc. as assigned by counsel.

- Manages project documentation, reporting requirements, compliance tracking and data collection to support internal and external stakeholders and company policies, procedures and guidelines.

- Assists with preparing and coordinating bid packages, contractor selection, design and/or construction contracts, and donation agreements with TPL staff and legal counsel. Experience with AIA contracts a plus.

- Orders and reviews title documents, surveys, environmental assessment, and other due diligence reports and research as assigned by counsel.

- Reviews, analyzes and summarizes legal documents necessary for tracking and reporting on the legal status of projects.

- Develops and maintains effective working relationships with internal teams, public agencies, consultants, contractors, funders and community partners.

- Follows a defined process to support efficient project delivery, document management and information sharing.

- Word processes, edits, assembles, copies and distributes complex legal documents.

- Creates and maintains files for the legal department.

- Monitors and updates legal calendar; maintains form file and legal library.

- Tracks timely payment of real estate taxes and prepares and files real estate tax exemption applications where appropriate.

- Works as part of a team of attorneys and legal assistants.

Other Responsibilities:

- As needed, and as time allows, Legal Assistant will assist with additional legal services as assigned.

Qualifications:

- Strong commitment to TPLs shared values (Belonging, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Hope) to effectively work across the organization.

- Bachelor's degree preferred

- 0-2 years experience supporting real estate, land conservation, construction, planning, infrastructure, compliance, legal, grant-funded, government, or other complex project environments is valued.

- Self-motivated with an ability to work without direct supervision, prioritize work in the absence of specific instructions, and exercise good judgment in identifying and solving problems

- Ability to interpret and take initiative within broadly defined policies and practices

- Strong organizational, planning, and interpersonal skills with an ability to maintain a sense of humor and composure when dealing with diverse personalities and work styles

- Capable of multi-tasking, working under pressure, and meeting deadlines in a decentralized environment

- Detail and results oriented.

- Excellent oral and written communications skills

- Proficiency in Word, Excel, Acrobat and e-mail software and willingness to learn various proprietary platforms and portals.

- Experience with AIA agreements and software a plus

Compensation:

Trust for Public Land is a flexible work environment, where work arrangements may be fully remote, hybrid, or in office. While we encourage candidates who are located near a Trust for Public Land office that is not a requirement and, regardless of location, the employee may elect to work remotely. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for Trust for Public Lands comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is $51,462 to $69,864 annually depending on experience.

Trust for Public Lands active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.