Legal Assistant (Commercial Real Estate & Finance)

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is seeking a full-time Legal Assistant to support our Commercial Real Estate and Real Estate Finance practice group in our St. Petersburg office. The ideal candidate will be a proactive, highly organized professional capable of managing a diverse workload while balancing legal assistant and administrative responsibilities. This individual must demonstrate strong prioritization skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced legal environment.

Why Join Johnson Pope?

At Johnson Pope, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and professional environment where your skills are valued, and your contributions make a difference. As one of Florida’s leading regional law firms, we offer our team members the opportunity to work alongside some of the most respected attorneys in the state, in a firm that supports a strong team environment and actively builds community within the organization.

Position Overview

This role provides support to attorneys handling commercial real estate transactions and real estate finance matters. Responsibilities include drafting and reviewing transactional documents, coordinating closings, managing deadlines, and supporting the overall operational needs of the practice group.

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare, proofread, and edit commercial real estate and finance transaction documents, including leases, purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, closing binders, easements, and title/survey review materials.
• Coordinate all aspects of transaction closings with clients, lenders, title companies, surveyors, and other third parties.
• Maintain deal checklists, monitor milestones, and assist attorneys with timely follow-up on transaction requirements.
• Manage attorney calendars, including scheduling client meetings, deadlines, and closings.
• Organize client documents and attorney work product within the firm’s document management system.
• Submit new business intake, conflict checks, and open/close client matters.
• Enter attorney time and assist with billing, including review and editing of pre-bills.
• Answer phone calls and routine inquiries from clients and team members or route calls appropriately.
• Perform general administrative duties such as file management, correspondence, expense reporting, CLE tracking, check requests, and other tasks as needed.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of commercial real estate transactions and real estate finance terminology and closing processes.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), with the ability to quickly learn other programs. Experience in iManage and Aderant is a plus.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Client service oriented.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Discretion and professionalism in handling confidential information.
• Flexibility to work additional hours as needed.
• Self-motivated with a willingness to learn.

Educational/Job Experience Requirements:

• High school diploma from an accredited institution.
• A minimum of five (5) years of law firm experience supporting commercial real estate and/or real estate finance practices.
• Experience drafting transactional documents and coordinating complex closings is strongly preferred.

Office Location: St. Petersburg, FL (On-site)

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the Firm.

Equal Opportunity Employment:

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and do not discriminate on the basis of an applicant’s or employee’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, citizenship, ancestry, pregnancy, familial status, actual or perceived status as a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, or any other legally protected status entitled to protection under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws, including applicable laws in Florida. We also provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).