Executive/Legal Assistant - Probate, Trust, Estate

FERGUSON BRASWELL FRASER & KUBASTA PC; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package (medical,

401(k) retirement plan

Flexible PTO

Job summary

FBFK Law in Orange County is seeking a seasoned executive legal assistant to support a partner on the Probate, Trust & Estate team and collaborate with attorneys and paralegals. You will be the primary client contact, maintain calendars, manage travel, and handle non‑legal matters with discretion.

Role blends executive and legal assistant duties; substantive drafting remains with attorneys and paralegals. The position requires maturity, professionalism, and experience with high‑net‑worth matters.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years as an executive assistant and legal assistant supporting a senior attorney, including at least 3 years in a law firm.
• Experience in probate, trust, or estate planning.
• Direct client-facing experience, ideally with high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Strong written communication and polished professional presence.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and ability to manage competing priorities independently.
• Expert-level skills in Word, Outlook, and Excel; comfortable with AI-assisted tools and document management systems.
• High school diploma or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Own the attorney's calendar, priorities, correspondence, and travel; resolve conflicts independently.
• Prepare the attorney for meetings and calls; track follow-up commitments through to completion.
• Manage the administrative side of the practice, including expense reports, vendor coordination, and matter files in NetDocs.
• Format, proofread, and finalize estate planning documents and client deliverables.
• Coordinate client meetings, signings, notary appointments, and witness requirements.
• Assemble probate filing packages and coordinate filings; calendar hearings and deadlines.

Skills

Executive support

Discretion and judgment

Client-facing

Communication

Time management

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate/Bachelor’s degree or Paralegal certificate (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Excel

NetDocs

Job description

Description

ABOUT FBFK LAW

For more than 20 years, FBFK Law has been a people-first, entrepreneurial business law firm. With a 150 people across Texas and California, we are growing deliberately under FBFK 2.0, and that growth has been recognized: 18 regional rankings in the 2026 Best Law Firms® guide, #1 Overall Leading Law Firm among Small Firms in Bloomberg Law's 2026 rankings, and a place on Fortune's 2026 America's Most Innovative Companies list. Our Orange County office was named one of the Orange County Business Journal's 2026 Best Places to Work.

THE ROLE

Our Orange County Probate, Trust & Estate practice is looking for a seasoned executive legal assistant who will be assigned to support one of the partners on this team directly as well as work with the other attorneys and paralegals on this team.

This is the person clients will call first and come to rely on. You will know where every matter stands, keep the attorney's day organized and productive, and run the administrative side of his practice so the attorney can focus on the law.

Our clients are high-net-worth and ultra‑high‑net‑worth individuals and families, often working through sensitive family and financial decisions. The right person demonstrates maturity and professionalism in all interactions, is diplomatic, and steady under pressure, comfortable speaking for the practice on non‑legal matters, and good at reading a situation and handling it well. The work is a blend of executive assistant and legal assistant responsibilities. Please note, this is a key supporting role - not a paralegal role; substantive drafting stays with the attorneys and paralegals.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Client Relationships

• Serve as the primary contact for clients, family office staff, financial advisors, and other trusted advisors, and manage the practice's incoming calls
• Keep clients informed on non‑legal matters, follow through on open items, and anticipate what they will need before they ask
• Handle sensitive conversations with tact and discretion, and know when to bring in the attorney

Executive Support

• Own the attorney's calendar, priorities, correspondence, and travel, resolving conflicts without being asked
• Prepare the attorney for meetings and calls, and track follow-up commitments through to completion
• Manage the administrative side of the practice, including expense reports, vendor and financial institution coordination, and matter files in NetDocs

Legal Support

• Format, proofread, and finalize estate planning documents and client deliverables prepared by the attorneys and paralegals
• Coordinate client meetings, signings, notary appointments, and witness requirements
• Assemble probate filing packages for attorney or paralegal review, and coordinate filing once approved
• Calendar hearings and deadlines identified by the attorneys and paralegals, and send reminders ahead of key dates
• Record all time worked, billable and non‑billable, in the firm's timekeeping system daily

Qualifications

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• At least 5 years of experience as an executive assistant and legal assistant supporting a senior attorney, including at least 3 years’ experience working in a law firm
• Experience in probate, trust, or estate planning
• Direct client‑facing experience, ideally with high‑net‑worth individuals and families
• A warm, polished presence on the phone and in person, and strong written communication
• Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to manage competing priorities independently
• Expert‑level skill in Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel; comfortable with AI‑assisted tools and document management systems
• High school diploma or equivalent

Preferred (Not Required)

• Experience coordinating probate court filings, trust administration, and estate planning document preparation
• Strong understanding of probate, trust and estate planning terminology, documents, and procedures
• Experience with daily timekeeping in a billable‑hour environment
• Experience with NetDocs
• Associate's degree, bachelor's degree, or paralegal certificate

COMPLIANCE NOTE:

Work must be performed under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney in accordance with California Business & Professions Code § 6450 et seq. This position may not provide legal advice, represent clients, set legal fees, or otherwise engage in the unauthorized practice of law.

BENEFITS:

FBFK offers a competitive benefits package. Comprehensive medical, dental and vision; 401(k) retirement plan; flexible paid time off; wellness programs, and more.

PAY AND NOTICES:

The range above is our good‑faith estimate of the base salary we expect to pay at hire, based on experience, skills and location. The role is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND ACCOMMODATIONS:

FBFK Law is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. The firm will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state law. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.