Family Law Paralegal

Pender & Coward, P.C.•Virginia Beach, VA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Pender & Coward, P.C. seeks a detail-oriented Family Law Paralegal to support our attorneys in Virginia Beach on divorce, custody/parenting time, child and spousal support, equitable distribution, and protective order matters. This role is ideal for a proactive professional who delivers compassionate client service, sound judgment, and excellent case management.

Requirements

At least 3 years of paralegal experience in Family Law is preferred
Strong drafting, formatting, cite-checking, and proofreading skills; familiarity with Virginia family court practice (J&DR District Court and Circuit Court)
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and PDF tools; experience with case/document management systems and Virginia e-filing where available
Excellent organization and deadline management; able to prioritize in a high-volume practice with minimal supervision
Professionalism, discretion, and trauma-informed, empathetic client communication
Education: bachelor’s degree or paralegal certificate preferred (or equivalent experience)
Notary public (or willingness to obtain) a plus; bilingual skills a plus

Responsibilities

Manage client intake, conflicts, and onboarding; serve as day-to-day client contact for routine updates
Draft, format, and proof pleadings and correspondence, including complaints/petitions, motions, discovery requests/responses, financial affidavits, initial disclosures, settlement proposals, and proposed orders
Prepare and update financial disclosures; organize and analyze bank statements, tax returns, retirement accounts, and other records; assist with asset/debt tracing and equitable distribution schedules
Calculate child and spousal support guideline worksheets using Virginia guidelines and approved software
Coordinate discovery: compile productions, maintain privilege logs, track deadlines, and arrange subpoenas and depositions
File pleadings (e-file where available; paper-file as required) and ensure compliance with Virginia statutes, Rules of Court, and judge-specific/local practices
Calendar hearings, mediations, and trials; coordinate attorney, client, and expert schedules
Prepare hearing/trial exhibits, binders, witness lists, exhibit indexes, and logistics, assist with pre-marking and deliveries to chambers/clerk
Communicate with courts, opposing counsel, experts, GALs, and process servers; arrange and track service of process
Maintain organized digital case files and workflows in the firm’s case/document management systems; track time and assist with billing
Support mediation and settlement conferences; draft term sheets, settlement agreements, and orders