Managing Attorney

NACBA; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Caress Law seeks a Managing Attorney to lead an estate planning and administration practice in Portland. You will mentor attorneys, oversee workflows, and align operations with the firm's values to ensure excellence for clients and team growth.

You’ll partner with firm leadership to scale the practice, recruit and onboard talent, and maintain a culture of care, integrity, and accountability while delivering high-quality legal work and exceptional client service.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Active license and good standing with the state bar.
• 7+ years of experience in estate planning, probate, and/or trust administration.
• Experience supervising or mentoring attorneys or legal staff.
• Strong aptitude for legal workflows and practice management systems (Clio preferred).
• LL.M. in Tax or Estate Planning is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead or supervise complex, sensitive, or high value matters with sound judgment and compassion.
• Review legal documents and filings with a commitment to excellence, validating and verifying details to deliver quality the first time.
• Further a culture of care, respect, and accountability by meeting team members with patience and clarity.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and training aligned with firm values and performance standards.
• Handle escalated client matters with professionalism, transparency, and calm leadership.
• Review workflows, deadlines, and caseload distribution to ensure efficiency and sustainability.
• Identify opportunities to elevate client service, team performance, and operational effectiveness.
• Partner with firm leadership to plan for capacity, scalability, and long-term practice growth.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Client service

Workflow management

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school

LL.M. in Tax or Estate Planning (preferred)

Tools

Clio

Job description

Position Overview

In this role, you'll help lead a thriving estate planning and administration practice, shape how it grows, and leave a genuine mark on the team and clients you serve.

In addition to managing your own client work, you'll provide legal leadership, operational oversight, and cultural stewardship for the firm — ensuring the work is excellent, the client experience is consistently exceptional, and the team has the right environment to thrive.

You'll work closely with firm leadership to mentor attorneys, strengthen systems, and ensure the practice continues to grow with intention and integrity.

If you're looking for a role where you can lead with both your legal expertise and your judgment to build something meaningful, this is it.

Core Values in Action

Our work is guided by six core values: Curiosity, Excellence, Elevate, Growth, Unwavering Integrity, and Care. The Managing Attorney is expected to model these values daily—through leadership decisions, client interactions, and team development.

What You Will Do in Any Given Week

• Lead or supervise complex, sensitive, or high value matters with sound judgment and compassion


• Review legal documents and filings with a commitment to excellence, validating and verifying details to deliver quality the first time


• Further a culture of care, respect, and accountability by meeting team members with patience and clarity


• Support hiring, onboarding, and training aligned with firm values and performance standards


• Handle escalated client matters with professionalism, transparency, and calm leadership


• Review workflows, deadlines, and caseload distribution to ensure efficiency and sustainability


• Identify opportunities to elevate client service, team performance, and operational effectiveness


• Partner with firm leadership to plan for capacity, scalability, and long-term practice growth

Who You Are

You identify what's needed, take ownership, and raise the bar. Thorough and precise is your default; you take pride in delivering quality work the first time.

You care deeply about the people around you. You challenge others to show what they're capable of, and you lead with empathy and care without sacrificing accountability. People trust you in hard moments because you show up fully and transparently, even when it’s difficult.

You have a bedrock of experience to draw from, including navigating complex matters, but remain genuinely curious — about people, about problems, about better ways of doing things. That curiosity shows in how you serve clients and the team.

You're excited by the opportunity to build something. You think about growth, bring energy to business development, and understand that a thriving firm requires more than excellent legal work.

Practically speaking: you're organized, proactive, and a strong communicator in writing and in person. You hold a high standard for everything that goes out the door.

You don't just agree with our core values — Curiosity, Excellence, Elevate, Growth, Unwavering Integrity, and Care — they are central to how you show up.

Why Caress Law

• Lead with purpose at a firm with strong values and a clear vision for the future.


• Bring your expertise to complex, meaningful work in an environment built on autonomy, direct access to leadership, and real recognition for your contributions.


• Serve families during significant life transitions, doing work that carries both responsibility and meaning.


• Collaborate within a culture grounded in excellence, care, continuous improvement, and shared accountability.


• Enjoy a healthy relationship with work. We believe sustainable performance and personal wellbeing belong together.

Caress Law is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Caress Law is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive process and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school


• Active license and good standing with the state bar


• 7+ years of experience in estate planning, probate, and/or trust administration


• Prior experience supervising or mentoring attorneys or legal staff


• Strong aptitude for legal workflows and practice management systems (experience with Clio is strongly preferred)


• LL.M. in Tax or Estate Planning is preferred