Estate Planning Attorney (Mid–Senior Level)

Weinstock Manion; California (MO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

A legal firm is seeking a Mid-Senior Estate Planning Attorney to draft sophisticated estate plans for high-net-worth clients. The qualified candidate will work closely with Shareholders, analyze client assets, and identify potential issues in estate planning. Candidates must have a J.D. and active California Bar membership along with a minimum of 5 years of estate planning experience. Knowledge of federal tax laws is essential. This role offers a dynamic work environment and requires strong drafting and analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in estate planning drafting, trust, and estate administration.
• Strong knowledge of federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping tax laws.
• Excellent drafting, analytical, and technical execution skills.
• Strong drafting, analytical and technical execution skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Shareholders to understand client objectives and implement estate plans.
• Draft complex estate planning instruments, including irrevocable trusts and transactional documents.
• Analyze estate planning structures and identify potential tax issues.
• Support trust and estate administration by drafting petitions and related filings.
• Conduct client asset analysis to ensure proper plan implementation.
• Perform legal research on state and federal tax issues, incl. California trust matters.

Skills

Estate planning drafting

Legal research

Analytical skills

Technical execution

Independent project management

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

LL.M. in Taxation or State Bar specialization in Estate Planning

LL.M. in Taxation or Estate Planning specialization

Job description

The Mid-Senior Estate Planning Attorney will play a key role in the drafting and technical execution of sophisticated estate plans for high-net-worth clients. The ideal candidate will work closely with Shareholders to translate client objectives into well-structured, high-quality estate planning documents, independently analyze clients' assets and structures, anticipate potential issues, and suggest improvements to the plan during the drafting process.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborate with Shareholders to understand client objectives and implement estate plans by drafting tailored documents.
• Draft complex estate planning instruments, including all types of irrevocable trusts and transactional documents related to clients' wealth transfer planning (promissory notes, purchase agreements, etc.), with custom drafting of client-specific trusts and trust provisions.
• Critically analyze estate planning structures and identify potential tax or administration issues, suggesting improvements when appropriate.
• Support trust and estate administration matters as needed by drafting necessary documents and court petitions (experience drafting petitions is a plus, but not a requirement).
• Analyze client financial information and asset structures to ensure proper implementation of estate plans.
• Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda on state and federal tax issues, as well as California trust and probate issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

• J.D. from an accredited law school; active California Bar membership required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in estate planning drafting, trust, and estate administration.
• LL.M. in Taxation or State Bar specialization in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law preferred.
• Strong knowledge of federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping tax laws. Knowledge of fiduciary income tax laws is a plus, but not required.
• Excellent drafting, analytical, and technical execution skills.
• Ability to independently manage complex drafting projects and competing deadlines.
• We are open to hiring estate planning drafters outside California, provided they are admitted and in good standing with the California State Bar.