Professional Staff

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.

Paralegal – Commercial Real Estate | Finance

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is seeking a full-time, experienced Commercial Real Estate | Finance Paralegal to support our real estate and finance practice. Candidates must have five (5) years of demonstrated experience as a commercial real estate paralegal in a law firm.

Position Overview

Candidates must be able to manage complex commercial transactions from start to finish, including acquisitions, dispositions, financing, and multi-site developments across multiple jurisdictions. The ideal candidate will have strong experience with title and survey review, document preparation, and high-level client interaction.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the preparation and processing of commercial real estate and finance transactions from inception to closing.
• Order, review, and analyze title documents, title commitments, search reports, exception documents, surveys, inspections, and title endorsements.
• Coordinate due diligence for a variety of large commercial and residential real estate transactions.
• Administer contract critical dates and prepare and manage closing checklists.
• Assist with and coordinate closings, including the review and/or preparation of conveyance documents, closing statements, transfer tax forms, and escrow release documentation.
• Attend to post-closing requirements, including the preparation of closing indices, organizing closing binders, and monitoring post-closing deliveries and other requirements.
• Prepare correspondence and memoranda.
• Prepare lease and loan document abstracts.
• Review and summarize UCC, judgment, tax, and other lien searches.
• Draft and review business and real estate contracts.
• Review surveys.
• Prepare and file a variety of documents, including deeds, mortgages, memoranda of leases, UCC financing statements, etc.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong understanding of title and survey processes, commercial closings, and real estate finance.
• Proficiency in preparing real estate documents, closing checklists, and title policy forms.
• 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 and administrative skills.
• Effective problem-solving, analytical, and research skills.
• Attention to detail with strong organizational and time management abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously and work extra hours as needed.
• Self-motivated with a positive attitude.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a deadline-driven environment.

Educational/Job Experience Requirements:

• Florida Registered Paralegal preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• At least five (5) years of relevant experience in commercial real estate and/or finance transactions in a law firm setting.

Office Location: Tampa, FL.

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).

Link to Application

Legal Administrative Assistant | Litigation (HOA) 

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is seeking an experienced Legal Assistant to support an attorney whose practice is devoted primarily to representing homeowner, condominium, and cooperative associations (community associations). The ideal candidate will have a minimum of three (3) years of experience in a law firm setting.

Position Overview:

 The Legal Assistant will provide a combination of transactional document preparation, litigation support, and assessment collection assistance. Key responsibilities include preparing and typing dictation, managing case files, e-filing in state and federal courts, coordinating schedules and deadlines, and assisting with discovery and hearing or trial preparation.

 Key Responsibilities:

Community Association Governance & Document Support

• Support attorneys with the preparation and maintenance of association governing documents and related materials.
• Prepare required statutory notices and documentation in accordance with Chapters 718, 719, and 720, Florida Statutes, including board and membership meeting notices, budget and annual meeting materials, election documents, proxies, and committee notices.
• Draft association-related correspondence such as resolutions, consent documents, estoppel communications, compliance letters, and enforcement notices.

Litigation and Administrative Proceedings Support

• Provide litigation support primarily in Florida state court and administrative forums.
• Assist with preparing notices of hearing, mediation documentation, and trial or hearing materials.
• Manage litigation calendars and deadlines and coordinate the filing and service of pleadings through the Florida E-Filing Portal and electronic service systems.
• Support attorneys in arbitration, mediation, and settlement-related proceedings.
• Organize and maintain case files, including pleadings, exhibits, discovery, and correspondence.

Assessment Collections and Enforcement

• Assist with delinquent assessment matters, including preparing statutory demand letters, notices of intent to lien, and lien-related documentation.
• Draft and record claims of lien and assist with foreclosure filings and related court documents.
• Coordinate with property managers, title companies, boards, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor statutory deadlines related to collection and enforcement actions.
• Prepare correspondence regarding payment arrangements, settlements, and lien releases.

Administrative and Client Support

• Maintain consistent communication with association boards, property managers, and vendors.
• Assist with client intake, matter setup, and file organization.
• Ensure electronic and physical files are accurate and well maintained.
• Track key deadlines, statutory timeframes, and court dates.
• Provide administrative support related to billing and matter management.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Attention to detail with strong organizational and time management abilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), with the ability to quickly learn other programs. Experience in iManage and Aderant is a plus.
• Transcribe and manage dictation efficiently.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Strong organizational and administrative skills.
• Client service-oriented with the ability to effectively communicate with clients and team members.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize tasks, and work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Confidentiality and professionalism in handling sensitive information.
• Ability to work extra hours as needed.
• Self-motivated with a willingness to learn.
• Ability to work independently while supporting the attorney and paralegal.

Educational/Job Experience Requirements:

• High school diploma from an accredited institution.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience as a legal assistant.
• Experience with Community association law, Real estate law, Civil litigation, and Collections or foreclosure practice is strongly required.

Office Location: St. Petersburg, FL (In-Person)

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).

Link to Application

Legal Administrative Assistant – Tax | Private Client Services

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is seeking a full-time Legal Administrative Assistant (LAA) for our Clearwater office. The Candidate must have a minimum of three (3) years of experience in a law firm or family office setting. The LAA will perform a wide variety of legal administrative duties to attorneys specializing in the representation of ultra-high net worth individuals, families, and their related businesses. This role requires the highest level of discretion, professionalism, and attention to detail while managing administrative and secretarial support for complex legal matters involving sophisticated tax, estate planning, corporate, probate, and trust administration matters.

 Position Overview

Candidates must be able to efficiently and accurately manage the administrative responsibilities associated with complex tax, estate planning, corporate, probate, and trust administration matters while ensuring smooth operations and effective coordination of tasks across the team. The LAA will play a key role in preparing documents, coordinating with clients, maintaining accurate records, and supporting attorneys in the delivery of exceptional client service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare, proofread, and edit correspondence, including transmittal letters and correspondence to the Internal Revenue Service, ensuring accuracy in spelling, grammar, format, and content.
• Manage attorney calendars and open matters, including scheduling client meetings, hearings, and deadlines.
• Organize, maintain, and update client files (both electronic and physical), including estate planning binders and probate administration documents.
• Review and edit pre-bills, ensuring they are ready for attorneys’ review and approval.
• Drafting correspondence to clients with invoices and addressing billing related questions.
• Submit new business intake and conflicts checks and opening/closing of client matters.
• Answer telephone calls and routine questions from clients and team members, and/or routing calls to appropriate staff.
• Perform administrative duties such as client file management, general correspondence, expense reports, CLE tracking, check requests, and other administrative tasks.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Attention to detail with strong organizational and time management abilities.
• 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 and administrative skills.
• Client service-oriented with the ability to effectively communicate with clients and team members.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize tasks, and work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Confidentiality and professionalism in handling sensitive information.
• Ability to work extra hours as needed.
• Self-motivated with a willingness to learn.

Educational/Job Experience Requirements:

• High school diploma from an accredited institution.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in a law firm or family office setting is preferred.
• Experience with trust and estate, corporate diligence, or tax.
• Is a notary public or is eligible and will apply shortly following acceptance of the role.

Office Location: Clearwater, FL

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).

Link to Application

Legal Practice Support & Operations Specialist

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is seeking an experienced full-time Legal Practice Support & Operations Specialist to join its team. The candidate must have a minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience as a legal assistant, senior legal assistant, paralegal, or similar legal support position.

 Position Overview

The Legal Practice Support & Operations Specialist will play a firmwide role in strengthening how legal support staff are trained, onboarded, and equipped to perform at the highest level. Working across the firm’s practice groups — including Litigation, Real Estate, Corporate, Trusts & Estates, Healthcare, Employment, and Bankruptcy — this individual will develop structured training programs, maintain up-to-date knowledge resources, and drive process improvements that support consistent, high-quality legal support services. The role requires broad familiarity with law firm operations, strong project management skills, and the ability to work independently while collaborating across departments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinate onboarding and training for all legal assistants and paralegals across the firm’s practice groups, including structured onboarding plans tailored to each practice area.
• Conduct 30-, 60-, and 90-day follow-up meetings with new legal support employees, identifying training gaps and recommending improvements.
• Coordinate continuing education and refresher training for legal support staff.
• Develop and maintain written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), workflow guides, checklists, and instructional videos or practice guides.
• Partner with attorneys and experienced legal support professionals to document best practices and maintain a centralized knowledge library.
• Ensure training materials remain current as procedures, technology, and court requirements evolve.
• Coordinate conflict check workflows and assist with matter intake and matter opening procedures.
• Monitor engagement letter workflow and follow up on outstanding documentation.
• Serve as a resource on legal support workflows and administrative procedures.
• Evaluate legal support workflows, recommend process improvements, and standardize procedures across offices and practice groups where appropriate.
• Identify opportunities to leverage technology, automation, and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, and participate in the implementation and testing of new legal technologies.
• Develop cross-training initiatives to improve operational flexibility and business continuity.
• Coordinate subject matter experts to help build practice-specific training and promote consistency in legal support practices firmwide.
• Serve as a liaison between Human Resources, Accounting, Information Technology, Marketing, attorneys, and legal support staff.
• Participate in firmwide administrative initiatives and special projects designed to improve legal support services and client experience.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Broad understanding of law firm operations across multiple practice areas.
• Demonstrated experience training, mentoring, or onboarding legal support staff.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High level of discretion and professionalism.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently under deadline pressure.
• Familiarity with legal technology, document management systems, billing systems, and workflow automation is a plus.
• Interest in process improvement and knowledge management.

Educational/Job Experience Requirements:

• High school diploma from an accredited institution; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience as a legal assistant, senior legal assistant, paralegal, or similar legal support position.
• Experience supporting multiple practice areas preferred.
• Experience developing training programs, instructional materials, or knowledge management resources preferred.
• Experience with conflict checking and matter intake procedures preferred.

Office Location: Tampa | St. Petersburg | Clearwater, FL

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).

Link to application

Corporate Transactions Paralegal (Health Care Practice)

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is seeking a full-time, experienced Corporate Transactions Paralegal to join our Corporate and Health Care practice groups supporting them on a range of corporate and health care–related transactional matters. This role is ideal for a paralegal with at least five (5) years of experience with a strong background in corporate governance, transactional support, and health care regulatory compliance, with proven experience managing complex projects and deadlines in a fast-paced legal environment.  The firm has a strong preference for candidates with recent law firm experience.

The ideal candidate will be highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable supporting moderate to complex transactions, including due diligence and closing activities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support corporate transactional matters, including mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, and financings
• Assist with Florida entity formation and maintenance, including corporations, LLCs, and partnerships, as well as foreign qualifications as needed
• Draft, prepare, and organize core corporate documents, including organizational documents, resolutions, consents, minutes, and governance materials
• Maintain corporate records, minute books, stock or ownership ledgers, and compliance filings; track annual reports and state filing requirements
• Support M&A due diligence, including organizing data rooms, reviewing and summarizing documents, coordinating lien searches, and assisting with preparation of disclosure schedules
• Assist with transaction closings by coordinating signatures, obtaining certified documents, performing UCC searches and filings, and preparing closing deliverables; manage post-closing follow-up
• Coordinate filings and communications with state agencies, governmental bodies, and third parties
• Organize client materials and attorney work product related to transactional and regulatory matters
• Track tasks and deadlines to ensure timely completion of attorney and client requests

Qualifications

• Prior experience as a paralegal supporting corporate transactional work, preferably in a law firm setting
• Demonstrated experience with Florida corporate governance and entity formation
• Working knowledge of M&A transactions, including due diligence and closing support
• Strong organizational, project management, and document management skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Health care transactional or regulatory experience is a plus, but not required

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent communication skills – written and oral
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Detail oriented
• Client service oriented
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and litigation support applications as well as document management systems with aptitude to learn other systems/programs
• Ability to multi-task and work well under pressure and meet deadlines while maintaining a professional demeanor and timely seek assistance when needed
• Ability to work independently and as a team

Educational/Job Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Florida Registered Paralegal (FRP) designation preferred
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant paralegal experience supporting corporate transactions in a law firm or professional services setting
• Strong corporate transactional experience in a law firm setting preferred
• Health care–related legal experience strongly desired
• Strong understanding of corporate transactions, entity management, and interaction with state and government agencies
• Availability to work overtime as business needs require

Office Location: Tampa Bay Area, FL; St. Petersburg, Office preferred

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).

Link to application