Real Estate Coordinator/Paralegal

About the Role

Coates Field Service, Inc is seeking an experienced Real Estate Coordinator/Paralegal in Westwood, MA to support the T&D Right of Way team in the MA region. This role provides right of way and real estate support for Transmission and Distribution line projects and ROW requests across the state.

Responsibilities

• Maintain data in the project database, including generating accurate reports, bulk data manipulation, and dissemination.
• Analyze legal documents to ensure proper execution and notarization.
• Examine right of way files (easements, deeds, legal descriptions, permits, agreements, contracts, and correspondence) to determine issues such as multiple line rights, assignability/abandonment clauses, lease terms, and restrictions.
• Read design plans/sketches to understand land rights needed.
• Engage landowners to mitigate encroachments on rights of way.
• Investigate, negotiate, and acquire leases, licenses, and permits for Networks infrastructure, staging areas for storm or construction lay down areas, railroads, and canal crossing permits.
• Potentially negotiate and acquire property rights required for transmission and distribution projects.
• Review title information to create easements and other land acquisition documents accurately.
• Analyze documents to prepare database reports involving ownership information, acquisition process status, instructions to field crews, contact history, payments, damage settlements, property values, and other pertinent data.
• Perform final internal quality control of easement documents and file original documents in right of way records systems and county clerk electronic filing systems.
• Create and process large quantities of both inbound and outbound mail.
• Identify concerns with title information and refer them to the appropriate client representative and/or legal counsel.
• Review, interpret, select documents, and supervise scanning for permanent storage of right of way records.
• Coordinate field office activities with the Field Right of Way Supervisor, Right of Way Agents, field personnel, subcontractors, landowners, clients, vendors, and government agencies.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in business, communications, or related field (preferred).
• Experience in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.).
• Ability to read title reports.
• General understanding of design sketches and legal descriptions.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of land and right of way acquisition processes and documentation, including the process of optioning land rights.
• Knowledge of proper legal document execution practices, such as required signatures for trusts, conservatorships, guardianships, estates, etc.
• Knowledge of due diligence review of right of way files and understanding of assignability and reversionary clauses, restrictions, fractional ownerships, lease payments and terms, abandonment clauses, etc.
• Understanding of Geographic Information Systems mapping software such as Google Earth/Pro, Esri, etc. (beneficial).
• Knowledge of cloud-based applications such as OneDrive or similar.
• Meticulous attention to detail.

Document Specialists typically include attorneys, paralegals, experienced land technicians, college graduates with degrees in business, communications, or related fields, land-men, or former right of way and land professionals employed by pipeline, power, or communication companies, engineering firms, or government agencies specializing in land development. They also have additional training in database and land management software systems and applicable courses provided by the International Right of Way Association.

About Us

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. Recognized as a leader in the land and right of way acquisition industry, Coates operates as a national corporation with the depth of knowledge and agility to respond to client needs in all 50 states. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Coates has regional offices throughout the United States.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and generous benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Short-term/long-term disability (STD/LTD) and life insurance.
• Paid time off and company-paid holidays.