Estate Planning Attorney

We are seeking an experienced Estate Planning Attorney to join our firm and serve clients with sophisticated, tax-driven estate planning and estate administration needs.

This role includes advanced planning for high-net-worth clients as well as assistance in post-death administration for taxable estate and complex trusts. You will coordinate closely with CPAs and advisors to guide clients through both lifetime planning and post death implementation—particularly important given Washington’s estate tax structure.

You will serve as the primary relationship manager for clients assigned to you and work collaboratively with attorneys and paralegals in the practice group.

While the primary focus of this role is sophisticated estate planning and administration, attorneys with experience or interest in complex business or transactional matters may have opportunities to engage in those areas

What You’ll Do

Planning Responsibilities

• Lead advanced estate planning matters for high-net-worth clients
• Design and implement tax-driven estate plans
• Advise on sophisticated trust planning and wealth transfer strategies
• Counsel clients on business succession and legacy planning

Probate & Trust Administration Responsibilities

• Lead administration of taxable estates in Washington
• Guide fiduciaries through complex probate and trust administrations
• Coordinate with CPAs on:
  • Federal estate tax returns (Form 706)
  • Washington estate tax returns
  • Fiduciary income tax returns (Form 1041)
  • Final individual income tax returns
• Interface with Washington Department of Revenue when necessary
• Advise trustees and personal representatives on tax elections, funding decisions, and post-mortem planning strategies
• Identify and implement post-death tax planning opportunities
• Manage client relationships with clarity, care, and professionalism
• Serve as a senior resource within the Team – mentor and develop less experienced team members.
• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement through regular meetings within the Estate Planning and Probate Team

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school
• Licensed and in good standing in Washington
• 5+ years of estate planning experience, or LLM with 3+ years of experience
• Experience handling complex and tax-sensitive estate plans
• Experience administering taxable estates and complex trusts
• Strong client-facing and advisory skills

Preferred But Not Required

• Tax LLM
• Significant experience with high-net-worth clients
• Business succession planning experience
• Licensed in Idaho

How Success Is Measured

• Living our core values
• Delivering excellent, sophisticated estate planning and administration work
• Providing clear, practical guidance to clients
• Building trusted, long-term client relationships
• Being a strong, collaborative member of the practice group
• Converting excellent client service into measurable economic value for the firm

Some attorneys excel in leadership and mentorship, while others focus their strengths on client service and legal excellence. We intentionally place attorneys where their talents and passions are best aligned.

• Base Salary range: $100,000 – $165,000
• Transparent bonus program based on production
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• CLE and professional development support
• Bar dues and licensing fees covered

This Role Is a Great Fit If You:

• Enjoy sophisticated, tax-focused estate planning
• Value long-term client relationships
• Take pride in precision, judgment, and excellence
• Appreciate teamwork, structure, and accountability

This Role May Not Be the Right Fit If You:

• Prefer only basic or document-driven estate planning
• Avoid client relationship responsibility
• Resist systems or collaborative practice
• Are unwilling to work hard or pursue excellence

Our Values

We are committed to helping good people do great things.
Our core values guide everything we do:

• We do the right thing
• We serve others
• We are passionate
• We solve problems
• We have a bias for action
• We communicate intentionally
• We are constantly improving

If those values resonate with you, we would love to connect.

This Role May Not Be the Right Fit If You:

• Prefer only basic or document-driven estate planning
• Avoid client relationship responsibility
• Resist systems or collaborative practice
• Are unwilling to work hard or pursue excellence

Our Values

We are committed to helping good people do great things.
Our core values guide everything we do:

• We do the right thing
• We serve others
• We are passionate
• We solve problems
• We have a bias for action
• We communicate intentionally
• We are constantly improving

If those values resonate with you, we would love to connect.

We support our attorneys so they can make a meaningful impact.

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