Legal Specialist II (Paralegal)

at  CoBank

Benefits Overview:
A career at CoBank can offer you the opportunity to make a personal impact on the people and communities where we do business. When you choose a career with CoBank, you make a difference by standing for something that matters. In order to be the best, we hire the best!

REMARKABLE BENEFITS OFFERED BY COBANK

• Careers with a purpose. Stand for something!
• Time-Off Packages- 15 days of vacation, 10 paid sick days and 11 paid holidays
• Competitive Compensation & Incentive
• Hybrid work model: flexible arrangements for most positions
• Benefits Packages, including Medical, Dental and Vision coverage, Disability, AD&D, and Life Insurance
• Robust associate training and development with CoBank University
• Tuition reimbursement for higher education up to $10K per year
• Outstanding 401k: up to 6% matching and additional 3% non-elective contribution
• Community Impact: United Way Angel Day, Volunteer Day and Associate Directed Contribution
• Associate Resource Groups: creating a culture of diversity and inclusion
• Recognize a fellow associate through our GEM awards
  Job Description:
  At CoBank, the Legal Specialist performs loan transaction analysis and prepares a variety of legal documents, including loan documents and secondary documents for standard and complex commercial loan transactions. This role proactively manages assigned portfolio to meet constantly changing priorities and deadlines. The Legal Specialist interacts with and supports internal and external customers to ensure high satisfaction level with bank/customer relationship.

Essential Functions:

• Collaborates with internal and external customers (including, but not limited to, relationship managers, credit analysts and attorneys), acts as primary contact to deal team and responds to customers’ requests, provides status updates and clarifies details of the transaction.
• Updates all internal systems, consistently, timely and accurately.
• Monitors incoming transactions, analyzes credit report recommendations and generates transaction checklists to include appropriate tasks for all deal team members. Updates and manages the checklist throughout the transaction.
• Drafts and reviews complex legal and loan documents according to credit report recommendations, including merger, name change, new borrower and hybrid transactions. Drafts non-standard language, when necessary, for attorney review.
• Performs due diligence on all transactions and requests certified organizational and eligibility documents, when necessary.
• Prepares and/or reviews signatory authority reviews to ensure documents are prepared and executed correctly; identifies need for review of updated organizational documents. Prepares borrower resolutions and incumbency certificates according to borrower formation and organizational document requirements. Verifies signatures on loan, collateral, ancillary and online banking documents.
• Facilitates and may lead deal team meetings for transactions in assigned portfolio.
• Takes ownership of pipeline/deals/transactions in assigned portfolio and manages deals through completion, while collaborating with the deal team.
• Maintains adherence to bank policies, key controls and procedures to ensure consistency and quality.
• Anticipates and takes proactive action to address potential issues, manage risks and escalates appropriately.
• Drafts, reviews and maintains job aids and procedures. Identifies errors, inconsistencies and opportunities to improve these documents.
• Assists the team in managing workflow.
• Support and drive organizational change, identifies opportunities for improvement, drive change initiatives and implement innovative solutions.
• Participates in or leads project work.

Education:
High School diploma or GED required
Bachelor’s Degree in relevant discipline or paralegal certificate preferred
Work Experience:

Three (3) years of experience as a paralegal, legal assistant or loan processor preferably in secured lending, banking or financial services industry, title company or law firm, or combination of education and experience.

• Ability to proactively manage assigned portfolio to meet constantly changing priorities and deadlines.
• Basic knowledge of commercial loan documentation, credit related practices, accounting systems and loan structures.
• Strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to solve problems and identify when to escalate issues.
• Ability to interact with and engage others appropriately at all levels in the organization.
• Demonstrated skills in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word and Excel).
• Provide excellent customer service, and possess strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to produce work that is timely, accurate and thorough. Must be detail-oriented.
• Must demonstrate initiative, strong analytical and decision making skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal guidance, as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
• Availability to periodically work outside of normal business hours.

Physical Exertion Details:
Sedentary Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
Travel Requirement Details:
Occasional Travel occurs infrequently (typically, once a month or less).
About CoBank:
The typical base pay range for this role is between $59,468 - $75,034. Compensation may vary based on individual job-related knowledge, skills, expertise, and experience. This position is eligible for a discretionary annual incentive program driven by organization and individual performance.
The listed salary, other compensation and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. CoBank reserves the right to adjust compensation for all positions and to modify or discontinue benefits programs at any time in its sole discretion, subject to applicable law.
CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 76,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.

• Collaborates with internal and external customers (including, but not limited to, relationship managers, credit analysts and attorneys), acts as primary contact to deal team and responds to customers’ requests, provides status updates and clarifies details of the transaction.
• Updates all internal systems, consistently, timely and accurately.
• Monitors incoming transactions, analyzes credit report recommendations and generates transaction checklists to include appropriate tasks for all deal team members. Updates and manages the checklist throughout the transaction.
• Drafts and reviews complex legal and loan documents according to credit report recommendations, including merger, name change, new borrower and hybrid transactions. Drafts non-standard language, when necessary, for attorney review.
• Performs due diligence on all transactions and requests certified organizational and eligibility documents, when necessary.
• Prepares and/or reviews signatory authority reviews to ensure documents are prepared and executed correctly; identifies need for review of updated organizational documents. Prepares borrower resolutions and incumbency certificates according to borrower formation and organizational document requirements. Verifies signatures on loan, collateral, ancillary and online banking documents.
• Facilitates and may lead deal team meetings for transactions in assigned portfolio.
• Takes ownership of pipeline/deals/transactions in assigned portfolio and manages deals through completion, while collaborating with the deal team.
• Maintains adherence to bank policies, key controls and procedures to ensure consistency and quality.
• Anticipates and takes proactive action to address potential issues, manage risks and escalates appropriately.
• Drafts, reviews and maintains job aids and procedures. Identifies errors, inconsistencies and opportunities to improve these documents.
• Assists the team in managing workflow.
• Support and drive organizational change, identifies opportunities for improvement, drive change initiatives and implement innovative solutions.
• Participates in or leads project work