Legal officer

Job Summary   

NJEDA Overview 

• Join the NJEDA and help lead New Jersey to sustainable economic growth, fostering equitable opportunities and vibrant communities. We offer hybrid work, a supportive culture, and robust benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and extensive wellness programs. Make a tangible impact and shape New Jersey's future with innovative economic development at NJEDA. 

Job Overview  

• This position prepares legal complaints and monitors legal actions, foreclosures, and bankruptcies, in coordination with the Special Loan Management team and Attorney General’s office.  They ensure timely responses and meet court deadlines.  

• This role is critical to NJEDA’s goal of recovering public funds when needed.  

• The ideal candidate will have paralegal or collections experience.   

$58,080 - $72,600

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepares legal documents for assigned litigation matters. 

• Completes service of all defendants. 

• Tracks the status of various legal actions and follows up as needed. 

Goals and Objectives: 

• Reporting and tracking cases of timely filings, accuracy and formatting requirements.   

Collaboration and Cross-Divisional Interaction: 

• Works with the Attorney General’s office to write up complaints. 

• Receives compliance exceptions and organizes product documents from originating department.  Follows up with referring department to make sure file is accurate and complete. 

• Works with the Loan Servicing and Bond teams on paid in full processing to release mortgages, etc. 

• Presents pipeline meetings with team and executive committee member. 

Reporting Structure: 

• Reports to VP- Post Closing Financial Services and under the direction of the Team Lead. 

• Works independently to prepare file up until the point of when attorney approval required. 

• Must complete annual self-assessment as required. 

• Performs other duties and special projects, as assigned. 

Skills and Abilities

Technical Skills: 

• Understanding of foreclosure actions, law division, bankruptcy, how to initiate litigation action and complete service of defendants. 

• Ability to prepare legal documentation including drafting and amending complaints. 

• Knowledge and understanding of collection/recovery matters and contract dispute.  

Soft Skills: 

• Must possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills, with attention to detail. 

• Must be able to work independently, prioritize assignments from multiple sources. 

• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; proficient in grammar, spelling and editing; and foster communications with business professionals and NJEDA staff. 

• Must be able to maintain confidentiality and deal effectively and diplomatically with business professionals and NJEDA staff. 

• Demonstrates respectful behavior and promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, NJEDA staff and external customers.

Preferred Qualifications

Certifications: 

• Paralegal certification preferred. 

Experience: 

• Two-five years’ experience, in litigation support, foreclosures, collections and bankruptcy filings with emphasis on foreclosures and Law Division 

• Advanced degree or industry specific certification may be substituted for 1 year of experience. 

Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree and/or equivalent professional experience 

Software/Tools Proficiency: 

• Knowledge and experience with E-Courts filing system. 

• Ability to learn Microsoft Dynamics “CRM”. 

• NJEDA utilizes Microsoft as the core application platform and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite is preferred.  

Additional Information 

• Minimal physical demands and ability to work out normal business hours. 

• Travel expected when necessary for business operations. 

Certificates and Licenses Required 

• Staff are required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essentials duties of the position. 

Note  

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job description. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope, general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job.  This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position. 

Your employment at NJEDA is voluntary and subject to termination by you or NJEDA at will, with or without cause, or with or without notice, at any time.  Nothing in this job description shall be interpreted to conflict, eliminate, or modify the employment-at-will status of NJEDA employees.   

This position is considered exempt and is excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers under the FLSA. 

NJEDA reserves the right to amend/revise this job description as necessary to meet current and changing business needs. 

NJ SAME Program 

 In accordance with P.L. 2021, c. 465 and P.L. 2021, 466, the SAME program was established to enable New Jersey State agencies to hire, promote, retain, and advance qualified individuals whose physical or mental impairments impact their abilities to participate in the hiring and promotion process for non-competitive and unclassified titles within the State workforce.  

The SAME program allows candidates, who identify as having a significant disability, to apply for non-competitive and unclassified positions through a fast track hiring process. This program uses a fast-track process that permits people who are eligible for the program to request that the State appointing authority schedule with them a good faith interview. For more information about the SAME program and the Fast Track Hiring program, please Click Here.  If you have any questions, please email, or call the contact as indicated on the job vacancy announcement. 

This posting open to eligible applicants regardless of SAME eligibility. 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

Position Requirements 

• Foreign degrees/transcripts must be evaluated by a reputable evaluation service at your own expense and must be submitted prior to a start date.  If this cannot be provided within 21 days of an offer the offer will be rescinded. 

• Must comply with the “New Jersey First Act” which requires employees hired after September 1, 2011, to reside in New Jersey. Non-New Jersey resident employees must relocate to New Jersey within one year of their date of hire and provide proof of residency to Human Resources. 

• Must complete an Outside Activity Questionnaire (disclosure of outside office or employment) on an annual basis.  

• Must review the required NJ State Ethics Guidelines found on the state website.
• Selected candidates must be authorized to work in the United States per the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship, and Immigration Services regulations. Note: The State of New Jersey does not provide sponsorship for citizenship to the United States.