Paralegal Public Finance (55138)

Spearhead Staffing - Houston, TX

Full-time - Entry Level

Houston, TX

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Public Finance Paralegal will work closely with attorneys and clients, providing essential transactional legal services to municipal utility districts (MUDs) and other special purpose districts in Texas. This role involves significant responsibility, including direct client interaction and the preparation of legal documents related to public financing. The position may require overtime and reliable transportation for evening meetings at district locations.

Responsibilities

• Attend meetings of the Board of Directors of municipal utility district clients and take notes of all board actions and decisions.
• Draft and prepare agendas, orders, and resolutions required for Board of Directors meetings, including multi-lingual agendas for election matters.
• Ensure that the Board of Directors follows proper legal procedures at meetings.
• Prepare minutes of the Board meetings.
• Interact with the Directors of the districts and other consultants, including engineers, operators, bookkeepers, and tax assessor/collectors.
• Prepare required bond documents and assemble them into a transcript of proceedings for submission to the Attorney General of Texas.
• Prepare documents for obtaining approval for annexation of land to districts and administer the applications for such approval.
• Review memoranda regarding current legislation and inform the Board about new regulations.
• Review new rules from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and inform the Board of Directors.
• Assist with the renewal of various permits.
• Prepare documents for the districts' annual tax exemptions and assess collection charges on delinquent taxes.
• Keep track of filing requirements, such as the Registration Form and Water Loss Audit.
• Review the Annual Financial Report (audit) and file with appropriate parties.
• Provide documents for the required annual review of investment policies and strategies.
• Assist with the distribution of the Water Quality Reports.
• File the annual continuing disclosure due pursuant to SEC Rule 15(c)2-12.
• Assist with the annual setting of the tax rate and preparation of related documents.
• Assist with the annual Operating Budget for the districts' operating funds.
• Maintain district files and permanent documents.
• Review and finalize correspondence.
• Record all client billable hours on the firm's tracking system.

Requirements

• 2 or 4 year degree and/or a Paralegal Certificate.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with document management software.
• 3 or more years of experience in Public Finance/MUD/Water Districts.

Nice-to-haves

• Familiarity with special purpose entities, particularly municipal utility districts.
• Real estate, corporate, or transactional experience is a plus.
• Strong academic credentials and proven writing skills for entry-level/trainee candidates.