Trusts & Estates Associate

Attorney For Trusts & Estates Practice

Direct Counsel is partnering with a growing, full-service law firm to add a highly skilled and experienced attorney to join our growing Trusts & Estates practice, with the position based in San Francisco. This is an exceptional opportunity for a senior level associate or counsel with a strong background in estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, and post-death trust and estate administration to work with a dynamic team advising high-net-worth individuals, private foundations and family offices.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise clients on multi-generational wealth planning and tax optimization strategies. Expectation is that candidate will have direct client contact and will be a key liaison between the clients and their advisors and the senior supervising partner.
• Draft complex estate plans, charitable gift agreements and trust structures tailored to sophisticated client needs.
• Structure and implement strategic wealth transfer techniques (e.g., dynasty trusts, sales to defective grantor trusts, Wandry gifts, grantor retained annuity trusts and charitable remainder trusts).
• Counsel fiduciaries on post-death trust administration and on-going trust administration (including familiarity with trust accounting rules, trust modifications, and decanting).
• Advise clients on the characterization of community and separate property, including transmutation agreements. Experience with prenuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation agreements a plus.
• Collaborate with clients and their outside advisors to manage large-scale planning projects.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Admission to and good standing with the California State Bar. Additional state bar admission in Nevada, Texas, Wyoming, South Dakota or Washington a plus.
• Minimum of 6 years of relevant experience in private client services in a law firm setting.
• Demonstrated independent drafting experience with a wide range of estate planning and trust documents.
• Superior oral and written communication skills and demonstrated management of client relationships and projects.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary Range: $160,000 – $230,000

• Competitive bonus structure

• 401(k)

• Full benefits package