Counsel - Trust & Estates

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Brown Brothers Harriman in New York seeks an accomplished trusts and estates attorney to serve as Counsel behind our premier private wealth franchise. You will cover three trust companies day-to-day, advise senior management, shape policy, review instruments and negotiate fiduciary agreements.

The role emphasizes independent judgment with access to senior management and boards, regulatory insight, and leadership in complex fiduciary matters with substantial client-facing impact.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant experience in trusts and estates law.
• Deep command of trust and estate provisions and governance.
• Strong drafting, communication and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise trust companies on fiduciary administration and policy.
• Review and negotiate trust instruments, wills, and agreements.
• Collaborate with officers, planners, managers and external counsel on complex matters.
• Monitor legal developments and translate into practical guidance.

Skills

Trusts & Estates law

Negotiation

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Bar admission

Job description

At BBH, Partnership is more than a form of ownership—it’s our approach to business and relationships. We know that supporting your professional and personal goals is the best way to help our clients and advance our business. We take that responsibility seriously. With a 200-year legacy and a shared passion for what’s next, this is the right place to build a fulfilling career.

The Opportunity

A rare opportunity for an accomplished trusts and estates attorney to become the legal voice behind a premier private wealth franchise. As Counsel, you will be the day-to-day coverage attorney for our two National Trust Companies and our Cayman Trust Company within our Capital Partners line of business - advising senior management, shaping policy, negotiating agreements, and guiding the administration of our most complex fiduciary matters. Substantive, sophisticated work with a genuine seat at the table.

What You’ll Do

• Advise our trust companies on business acceptance and all aspects of fiduciary administration, from review of governing instruments to advising on policies, procedures, operations and workflows.
• Review and negotiate a broad range of instruments including trust agreements, Wills, entity formation documents, release and account settlement agreements, engagement letters, intercompany agreements and vendor contracts entered into in a fiduciary capacity.
• Partner with Trust Officers, Office Heads, Wealth Planners, Relationship Managers and external counsel on complex trust and estate administration matters, and serve as subject matter expert to internal counsel covering litigation and other areas.
• Track legal and regulatory developments and translate them into practical guidance, memoranda, and multistate law reviews.
• Serve as legal advisor to Trust Company Boards, Committees, and key projects, and provide counsel during audits and regulatory examinations.
• Present at firmwide Legal Developments Meetings and Trust Officer training, and represent the firm in bar association and industry groups.

What You’ll Bring

• JD and active bar admission in good standing, with 10+ years of relevant experience.
• Deep command of trust and estate law and the practical application of trust and estate document provisions; knowledge of one or more state-specific trust and estate laws preferred.
• Practical experience in the administration of complex trusts and estates, including knowledge of investment structures.
• Fluency in the rules, regulations, and best practices governing trust, estate, and entity administration, including state and federal banking requirements.
• A track record of applying legal principles to complex fact patterns and developing creative solutions to complex business problems.
• Outstanding written and oral communication, strong drafting and project management skills, and the presence to work effectively with senior internal and external constituencies.

Why This Role Stands Out

Breadth and ownership. Daily coverage attorney for three trust companies, spanning advisory, transactional, regulatory, and dispute work. Independent judgment with strategic support. Reporting to Fiduciary Counsel, you will exercise substantial autonomy, direct access to senior management and boards, and firmwide visibility, with the expectation that the role will grow into lead responsibility over the next few years. A collaborative bench. A small, close-knit team working shoulder to shoulder with Compliance, Risk, and client-facing colleagues.

The Details

Full-time, exempt individual contributor role. Hybrid, with a minimum of three days per week in the office. Occasional domestic and overnight travel required.

Salary Range NY: $170,000 - $220,000 base salary + annual bonus target. BBH and its affiliates’ compensation program includes base salary, discretionary bonuses, and profit-sharing. The anticipated base salary range(s) shown above are only for the indicated location(s) and may differ in other locations due to cost of living and labor considerations. Base salaries may vary based on factors such as skill, experience and qualification for the role.

BBH's total rewards package recognizes your contributions with more than just a paycheck - providing you with benefits that enhance your experience at BBH from long-term savings, healthcare, and income protection to professional development opportunities and time off, our programs support your overall well-being.

We value diverse experiences. We value diverse experiences and transferrable skillsets.

About BBH

Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) is a premier global financial services firm, known for premium service, specialist expertise, technology solutions and partnership approach to client management. Across Investor Services and Capital Partners, we work with an enviable roster of sophisticated clients who make BBH their first call when they are tackling their hardest challenges. Delivering for our clients and each other energizes us. We believe that how we do our work is just as important as what we do. We are relentless problem solvers who know our best ideas come from collective debate and development - so we are never possessive about our ideas. Every day we come together as a diverse community of smart and caring people to deliver exceptional service and expert advice - creating success that lasts. No matter where you sit in the organization, everyone is empowered to contribute their ideas.

BBHers can pick up the phone and call any colleague, and they are happy to help. Expanding your impact beyond your daily role is part of how we operate as trusted partners to one another. We believe stability is a competitive advantage, but being stable means having the knowledge, skill, and discipline to evolve, often - pushing the boundaries of innovation.

As a private partnership, every investment we make is in the relationships, technologies, products and development we believe are in the long-term interests of our clients and our people. Our long-tenured leaders are experts in their areas and are actively involved in the day-to-day business, taking the time to provide guidance and mentoring to build the next generation of BBHers.

We believe our success starts with yours. At BBH, partnership is more than just a form of ownership—it’s our approach to business and relationships. Every day we come together as a diverse community of smart and caring people to deliver exceptional service and expert advice. Across Investor Services and Capital Partners, we work with an enviable roster of sophisticated clients who make BBH their first call when they are tackling their hardest challenges.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other protected status under federal, state or local law.