Partner

City of Plant City; Naples (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Galbraith Weatherbie Law, PLLC in Naples, FL seeks an experienced Probate & Trust Administration Attorney with 5+ years in complex matters, including estate and gift tax compliance. Focus is probate and trust administration, not traditional estate planning.

You will independently manage matters, draft tax returns, and maintain client relationships. Ideal candidate has JD, Florida Bar in good standing, and proven ability to meet deadlines, with strong drafting and analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years of substantive probate and trust administration experience.
• Experience with complex trust administrations and federal estate and gift tax matters.
• Ability to independently manage matters from inception to completion and meet deadlines.
• Florida probate procedures and fiduciary responsibilities knowledge.
• Experience preparing IRS Form 706 and Form 709 with schedules and elections.
• Active membership in The Florida Bar.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage probate and trust administration matters for high-net-worth estates.
• Advise personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries on fiduciary duties and Florida law.
• Handle complex trust administrations with multiple beneficiaries and assets.
• Prepare and review IRS Form 706 and Form 709 with supporting documentation.
• Coordinate with accountants and professionals to ensure timely tax compliance.
• Provide strategic legal counsel and maintain client relationships throughout the administration.
• Collaborate with firm attorneys and staff while upholding professional standards.

Skills

Legal drafting

Analytical thinking

Organizational skills

Client service

Communication

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school

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

Job description

Galbraith Weatherbie Law, PLLC, a sophisticated trusts and estates law firm in Naples, Florida, is seeking an experienced Probate & Trust Administration Attorney to join our growing practice.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five (5) years of substantive experience in probate and trust administration, with a strong background in handling complex trust administrations, sophisticated estates, and federal estate and gift tax matters.

This position is primarily focused on probate, complex trust administration, and estate and gift tax compliance, rather than traditional estate planning. We are seeking an attorney who can independently manage complex matters, provide exceptional client service, and demonstrate strong technical proficiency in the preparation of federal estate and gift tax returns.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently manage probate and trust administration matters from inception through completion, including complex and high-net-worth estates and trusts.
• Advise personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries regarding fiduciary responsibilities, trust interpretation, asset distributions, and applicable Florida law.
• Handle sophisticated trust administrations involving complex assets, multiple beneficiaries, closely held businesses, and multigenerational wealth transfer considerations.
• Independently prepare and review IRS Form 706 (United States Estate Tax Return) and IRS Form 709 (United States Gift and Generation‑Skipping Transfer Tax Return), including supporting schedules, valuations, elections, and related documentation.
• Analyze estate, gift, and generation‑skipping transfer tax implications arising during estate and trust administration.
• Oversee fiduciary accountings, asset inventories, creditor claims, distributions, and other probate and trust administration requirements.
• Coordinate with accountants, financial advisors, trustees, and other professionals to ensure accurate and timely administration and tax compliance.
• Provide strategic legal counsel and maintain strong client relationships throughout the administration process.
• Collaborate with the firm's attorneys and support staff while maintaining exceptional standards of legal accuracy, efficiency, and responsiveness.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with The Florida Bar.
• Minimum of five (5) years of substantive experience in probate and trust administration, including significant experience with complex trust administrations.
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience independently preparing IRS Forms 706 and 709, including complex supporting schedules and applicable tax elections.
• Thorough knowledge of Florida probate procedures, trust administration, fiduciary responsibilities, and applicable federal estate and gift tax laws.
• Proven ability to independently manage sophisticated matters, exercise sound legal judgment, and meet critical deadlines.
• Excellent legal drafting, analytical, organizational, communication, and client relationship skills.
• Must be able to work in our Naples, Florida office five (5) days per week. This is not a remote or hybrid position.

Preferred Qualifications

• LL.M. in Taxation or Estate Planning and/or Florida Bar Board Certification in Wills, Trusts and Estates.
• Advanced knowledge of estate, gift, and generation‑skipping transfer taxation.
• Experience administering high-net-worth estates and complex trusts involving business interests, substantial investment portfolios, and sophisticated distribution provisions.
• Experience handling federal estate tax audits or complex estate and gift tax issues.