Franchise Paralegal Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Coates Field Service, Inc. is seeking an experienced Real Estate Representative/Paralegal to support a client’s distribution and transmission. The successful candidate will be experienced in acquiring linear right of way for private landowners, and able to adapt to tight deadlines in order to meet project deliverables. This is an in-office position. **Per Diem is Available**

Primary Job Duties & Responsibilities:

• Investigate, negotiate, acquire, defend, and ensure legal recording and enforcement of property rights required for electric, gas, or communication infrastructure
• Utilize existing and future software and physical files to document all communication with landowners including in-person meetings, email, and phone in addition to capturing project updates and progress on each affected parcel
• Engages landowners to mitigate encroachments on rights of way
• Prepare or assist in preparing and securing specific state, highway, railroad, County, Town, City, Village permits for use of lands owned by governmental agencies, the public or other utilities including tree-clearing permits.
• Investigate, negotiate, and acquire leases, licenses, and permits for Networks infrastructure, staging areas for storm or construction lay down areas, railroads & canals crossing permits
• Responsible for document management involving legal documents filing, recording, parceling & indexing and retrieval
• Coordinate and process payments to landowners for certain property rights through internal workflow
• Investigate electric and gas franchise agreements and boundary lines
• Obtains right of entry and survey permission from private landowners.
• Potentially negotiates and acquires property rights required for transmission and distribution projects.
• Responds to internal and external stakeholder inquiries in matters related to property rights.
• Reviews and processes executed documents according to client requirements; may include requesting payment remittance, recording, etc.
• Serves as legal witness as necessary for condemnation or other proceedings.
• Other job duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Required:

• Knowledge of real estate principles gained through education and experience
• Must have NY Notary Public License or have the ability to obtain that license within 3 months of hiring

Preferred:

• Working knowledge of drafting and negotiating property rights documents including rights-of-way, easements, leases, purchases, and sale agreements.
• Strong understanding of electric transmission, sub-transmission, and distribution principles as related to right-of-way and land rights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to utilize multiple forms of technology including project databases, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Earth, etc.
• Ability to plot metes and bounds descriptions of property and read a variety of maps, electronic and paper.
• Ability to evaluate, interpret, and analyze engineering and right-of-way drawings.
• Ability to interpret and research (abstract) legal documents.
• Skilled in property rights research methods, including courthouse searches for recorded documents and internet research of same.
• Ability to determine valuation of crops, timber, etc. for damage settlement.
• Ability to travel regularly.

Right of Way Agents may have prior experience as attorneys, paralegals, real estate, or land professionals, working in industries such as electric utility power or communication companies, pipeline, engineering firms or government agencies specializing in land development.

Coates has a 76-year history providing comprehensive land acquisition and right of way services to municipalities, utilities, energy providers, and oil and gas companies nationwide. The first firm of its kind, we are widely recognized as a leader in the land and right of way acquisition industry. A national corporation, Coates has the depth of knowledge and the agility to respond to client needs in all 50 states. Coates is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with regional offices located throughout the United States. It is our mission to provide professional, high-quality, cost-efficient land acquisition and right-of-way services our clients need, when and where they need us.

Coates is committed to rewarding the loyalty of the national team of Coates’ Employees. Coates hires the best candidates available for all positions, without regard to the individual's race, religion, or sexual preference or orientation. Coates is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).

Coates offers a comprehensive and generous benefits package, including medical/dental, vision, STD/LTD, life insurance, paid time off, company paid holidays, and more!