Title: Paralegal

Employee Status: Full time – Exempt

Salary: Grade 4

Starts at $70,600 | Chicago

Reports to: Chief Legal Counsel

Department: Legal

Location: Chicago

Hybrid Remote: In office: T/W | Remote: M/Th/F

Department Function: Provide legal services and counsel to support the Organization, its lines of business, and its mission.

The Organization

IFF is a mission-driven lender, real estate consultant, and developer that helps communities thrive. Key to our success has been a deep sense of purpose, a broad perspective, and a relentless focus on achieving positive results. Across the Midwest we help clients from every sector, including human service agencies, health centers, schools, affordable housing developers, and healthy food grocery operators. Staff contribute extensive business experience and an unrivaled connection to the mission of IFF to the clients we serve.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Partnering to create thriving communities is at the heart of everything we do. We leverage knowledge, capital, and resources to advance equitable and transformational outcomes in under-resourced communities, guided by our commitment to be an inclusive, anti-racist and anti-oppressive institution that honors communities as asset-rich and as experts in their own stories.

Basic Job Function

The paralegal will provide support and assistance to IFF’s legal department. The paralegal will support IFF colleagues during the loan closing process and will work with IFF’s in-house counsel throughout all steps of the process from approval to closing and, if necessary, post-closing matters (including workouts). This is an ideal position for an experienced, detail-oriented paralegal who is looking for better work-life balance as well as more rewarding work.

IFF is looking for candidates with a commitment to the work we do who can demonstrate their creativity, diligence, enthusiasm, growth-mindset, thoughtfulness, and passion to make meaningful change in the areas of economic and racial justice.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Assist in IFF’s Loan Closing Process

• Support IFF’s Associate Legal counsel in drafting legal documents
• Review legal documents to ensure terms are consistent with IFF’s approval
• Review title commitments and resolve any exceptions
• File and manage collateral documents (e.g. Mortgages, UCCs, etc.)

2. Support the Associate Legal Counsel and IFF’s Portfolio Management Team on post-closing/workout matters

3. Manage IFF’s corporate filings/registrations/licenses in all states and municipalities throughout IFF’s footprint

4. Support in the management of IFF’s real estate portfolio

5. Assist the Chief Legal Counsel with other organizational matters

6. Demonstrate a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Promotes an environment of empathy and respect, ensures the inclusion of all team members, and will actively engage in EDI events and learning opportunities.

7. Perform other projects as assigned.

Performance Measures:

1. High quality and accurate work product

2. Timely completion of all work

3. Responsiveness to IFF staff and clients

4. Cultivates a culture of openness in information sharing. Encourages open communication, cooperation, and the sharing of knowledge.

5. Models personal accountability that promotes ownership and engagement.

6. Builds and maintains effective working relationships with colleagues, peers and team members.

7. Values and supports differences in others, contributing to an inclusive work environment. Demonstrates the ability and willingness to communicate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences to create a collaborative, collegial, and caring community.

8. High level of satisfaction with both internal colleagues and external contacts.

Position Qualifications:

Education: College degree preferred; paralegal certificate a plus, but not required.

Previous Experience: 2+ years of paralegal experience or relevant experience in a legal environment preferred. Candidates with experience focusing on real estate or financial transactions, are preferred. Experience drafting legal transactional documents, with a track record of growth and increasing responsibility.

Additional Requirements: Occasional evening and weekend work.