Trusts and Estates Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

Private Client Services Attorney | Senior Associate

§ Practice Area : High-Net-Worth Estate Planning / Fiduciary Administration / Wealth Preservation & Tax Strategy

§ Location : New York, NY (Hybrid flexibility)

§ Salary : $260,000 to $385,000 Base Salary (Plus originations incentive, discretionary bonus, and full corporate benefits package)

§ Schedule : Full-time, Direct-Hire, Minimum 1,850 hours annual billed target.

§ The Firm :

Our client is a premier, full-service mid-market power firm headquartered in New York City with a distinguished reputation spanning over four decades. Recognized across regional legal rankings and holding an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the firm is celebrated for delivering elite commercial representation alongside sophisticated private client advisory services. The firm balances the strategic depth and complex deal-making capacity of a national platform with a highly collegial, entrepreneurial culture.

The Private Client Services Practice Group represents high-net-worth individuals, multi-generational families, family offices, corporate executives, and closely-held business owners. Designed for high-performing attorneys seeking an accelerated runway to practice leadership, this environment offers direct client stewardship, robust institutional cross-selling channels, and comprehensive technical infrastructure to elevate an established practice.

§ Duties :

The incoming Senior Estate Planning Associate will serve as a primary legal advisor to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clientele, managing sophisticated wealth preservation, asset protection, and estate tax minimization strategies. This position carries substantial client-facing autonomy and requires sophisticated technical acumen in federal, state, and local taxation as applied to wealth transfer.

Core responsibilities include:

⨖ Formulating and implementing bespoke estate plans for high-net-worth individuals, business founders, and family offices.

⨖ Structuring advanced wealth transfer mechanisms, including Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs), Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs), and Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs).

⨖ Advising business owners on corporate succession strategies, buy-sell agreements, recapitalizations, and tax-efficient liquidity events.

⨖ Overseeing complex probate proceedings, judicial and non-judicial trust accountings, and the comprehensive administration of substantial estates and trusts.

⨖ Counseling fiduciaries and beneficiaries on estate, gift, generation-skipping transfer (GST), and income tax compliance and mitigation strategies.

⨖ Collaborating with firm leadership to expand practice reach, cross-sell services across commercial real estate and corporate practice groups, and mentor junior associates.

§ Qualifications:

Candidates must present an exemplary academic record, proven technical expertise, and a demonstrated ability to independently manage sophisticated private client matters.

⨖ Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited institution with superior academic standing.

⨖ Active Bar admission in good standing in the State of New York (dual admission in Connecticut or New Jersey is advantageous).

⨖ Five (5) to Seven (7) years of dedicated, substantive practice experience focused on structured estate planning, trust administration, and wealth transfer taxation at a respected law firm or boutique.

⨖ Demonstrated background in taxation law, with deep familiarity in federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax regulations.

⨖ An established portable book of business or a verifiable record of business development initiative and originations potential.

⨖ Exceptional interpersonal, drafting, and analytical capabilities suitable for interfacing directly with high-net-worth principals and family office advisors.

§ Skills :

The following credentials and specialized competencies will significantly enhance a candidate's submission:

⨖ Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation or Estate Planning from an accredited university.

⨖ Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential or prior professional accounting experience.

⨖ Experience utilizing CCH ProSystem fx, estate tax preparation software, and specialized trust accounting platforms.

⨖ Specific experience navigating cross-border estate planning considerations, international tax compliance, or charitable foundation governance.

⨖ Demonstrated leadership capacity to manage department workflows and transition into practice group leadership.

!Notice¡

*This a job advertisement on behalf of our client and does not reflect the full job description for the role. Any qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. You will need to provide law school transcripts, a writing sample or deal sheets, and a cover letter in order to be considered for this role. This posting does not constitute an offer of employment. and the listed compensation details may vary by state or experience and will be discussed thoroughly during interview phase.