Associate Attorney

Betts Austin Johnson, pllc; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Betts Austin Johnson, pllc seeks an experienced Associate Attorney to join its Estate Planning and Tax practice in Washington. The role focuses on advising high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners on sophisticated planning strategies to preserve wealth and minimize transfer taxes.

You will develop advanced estate structures, coordinate tax planning across estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfers, and work with clients and professionals to implement comprehensive wealth

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to practice in Washington.
• Active license to practice law in Washington or eligibility for admission.
• Experience in estate planning, transfer tax planning, or related practice area.
• Demonstrated ability to advise clients with significant or complex assets.
• Strong drafting, analytical, and client-relations skills.
• Ability to manage matters independently while collaborating with a team.

Responsibilities

• Counsel high-net-worth individuals, families, and entrepreneurs on transfer tax exposure while supporting long-term objectives.
• Develop and implement sophisticated estate planning structures and lifetime transfer strategies.
• Coordinate estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning with ownership structures and succession strategies.
• Collaborate with clients, accountants, financial advisors, and other professionals to implement wealth transfer plans.
• Draft and oversee execution of complex estate planning documents and related materials.
• Analyze federal and state tax considerations affecting estate and business succession planning.
• Manage ongoing client relationships and serve as a trusted advisor.
• Sustain and grow an established client base through referrals.

Skills

Estate planning

Transfer tax planning

Client counseling

Drafting

Team collaboration

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Tools

Westlaw

LexisNexis

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Associate Attorney to join our Estate Planning and Tax practice. This role focuses on advising high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners on sophisticated planning strategies designed to preserve wealth, minimize transfer taxes, and ensure smooth generational transitions of both personal and business assets.

Our Approach

Our team is dedicated to meeting the needs of our clients by offering creative planning and solutions. The majority of our clients have complex estates or are business owners who are looking for the best strategies for transferring their assets and businesses to the next generation.

Key Responsibilities

• Counsel high-net-worth individuals, families, and entrepreneurs on strategies that reduce transfer tax exposure while supporting long-term family and financial objectives.
• Develop and implement sophisticated estate planning structures, including advanced trust arrangements and lifetime transfer strategies.
• Coordinate estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning with ownership structures and succession strategies for closely held businesses.
• Work closely with clients, accountants, financial advisors, and other professionals to implement comprehensive wealth transfer plans.
• Draft and oversee the execution of complex estate planning documents and related transactional materials.
• Analyze federal and state tax considerations affecting estate and business succession planning.
• Manage ongoing client relationships and serve as a trusted advisor to families and business owners.
• Sustain and grow an established client base supported by long-standing relationships and professional referrals.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in Washington or eligibility for admission.
• Experience in estate planning, transfer tax planning, or related practice area.
• Demonstrated ability to advise clients with significant or complex assets.
• Strong technical knowledge of federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
• Excellent drafting, analytical, and client relationship skills.
• Ability to manage matters independently while collaborating effectively with a team.

Preferred

• LL.M. in Taxation or Estate Planning.
• Experience advising business owners on succession planning.