Senior Attorney - Probate Litigation/ TEDRA & Estate Planning

Job Description

Job Description

SENIOR ATTORNEY 
Probate Litigation / TEDRA & Estate Planning

ELG Estate Planning | Spokane, Seattle, or Tri-Cities, WA 

Compensation: $125,000 - $175,000+ DOE

Are you an experienced litigator ready to bring your skills to an established, well-respected, and growth-minded estate planning firm? Are you ready to combine courtroom advocacy with lasting client relationships, practicing at a high level with both autonomy and support? 

ELG Estate Planning has helped thousands of families protect what matters most over the past 20 years. With offices in Spokane, Seattle, and Kennewick, our reputation is built on estate plans done right the first time - plans that keep families out of court. 

As a respected and established estate planning and elder law firm, we are frequently contacted by potential clients seeking assistance with probate and trust disputes. 

To better serve our communities, we are seeking a skilled litigation attorney to build and lead our probate litigation, trust dispute, and TEDRA department. Experience in estate planning, trusts, and probates is a strong plus, but litigation skill is the essential requirement. We have built the estate planning, elder law, and probate firm. Now we are expanding into litigation and dispute resolution. 

ELG's founder, Lynn St. Louis, has more than twenty years of experience as a litigator. She knows exactly what support a litigator needs to succeed, and she is committed to providing it. 

The Opportunity 

This is not a typical estate planning hire. While an estate planning background is a nice-to-have, it is not required. Attorneys with a background in Family Law, Real Estate Law, or Business Law are also a strong fit. What matters most is litigation experience: someone who can step into contested probate and trust matters, including disputes under Washington's Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act (TEDRA), and build a practice area from scratch. 

Just as important, this attorney will be responsible for converting litigation clients into long-term relationships with the firm, bringing them into ELG's estate planning practice once their dispute is resolved. This is a dual role - litigator and relationship-builder - with real ownership over both sides of the client relationship. 

What You'll Be Doing 

• Build Our Probate Litigation & TEDRA Practice - Serve as the firm's in-house resource for contested probate, trust, and guardianship matters, handling disputes under TEDRA and related litigation the firm currently refers out. 

• Shape Firm Strategy - Partner with leadership to build the processes, standards, and case strategy for a brand-new practice area; contribute to process improvement across the firm; and represent ELG through referral relationships, speaking events, and community outreach. 

• Convert Litigation Clients into Long-Term Relationships - Identify opportunities to bring litigation clients into ELG's estate planning practice, building lasting relationships beyond the immediate dispute. 

• Oversee Probate & Trust Administration - Provide steady leadership through complex administrations and ensure consistency in quality and client communication. 

• Lead Complex Estate Planning Matters - In partnership with our estate planning team, build sophisticated estate plans for high-net-worth and blended-family clients, including advanced tax and trust structures and asset protection strategies. 

• Guide Elder Law & Long-Term Care Planning - Advise clients alongside our experienced elder law attorneys on Medicaid planning, long-term care strategies, and preservation of family wealth. 

What We're Looking For

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience practicing law 

• 5+ years of litigation experience, ideally including probate, trust, guardianship, or TEDRA matters, or comparable civil litigation 

• Washington State Bar license 

• Strong writing, drafting, and courtroom advocacy skills 

• Proven ability to manage client relationships independently 

• An entrepreneurial mindset and genuine excitement about building a practice area from the ground up 

Preferred: 

• Background in Estate Planning and Trust Administration 

• Experience in Family Law, Real Estate Law, or Business Law 

• Elder Law or Medicaid planning experience 

• Idaho State Bar license 

• Experience mentoring junior attorneys 

• Experience with taxable estates 

• Public speaking experience 

We are looking for someone who brings both advocacy and judgment - someone who can fight for a client in a contested matter and just as comfortably guide a family through an estate plan. 

You Might Be a Great Fit If You... 

• Care deeply about client relationships 

• Enjoy the challenge of building something new 

• Hold high standards for legal craftsmanship, in the courtroom and out of it 

• Are confident but not ego-driven 

• Want to contribute to something larger than your individual caseload 

Benefits

We offer: 

• Health, dental, and vision insurance 

• Employer-paid life insurance 

• SIMPLE IRA with 3% employer match 

• 3+ weeks of annual vacation 

• 10 paid holidays 

Compensation reflects both experience and leadership contribution. 

Why ELG? 

We are not a volume-driven practice or a chaotic startup. We are an established, growth-minded firm that believes estate planning - and now, probate litigation - should be handled thoughtfully, thoroughly, and with heart. 

If you are ready to build a new practice area at a firm where quality, culture, and integrity truly matter, we would love to meet you.