Relationship Manager, Trust Counsel (Hybrid)

First American; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 149,000 - 198,000; Full time

Job summary

First American is seeking a Relationship Manager, Trust Counsel to serve as a trusted adviser on complex trust and estate matters for high-net-worth individuals and fiduciaries. You will guide estate settlement, wealth transfer strategies, and regulatory compliance while coordinating with trustees, financial professionals, and tax advisors.

The role emphasizes deep knowledge of fiduciary practices, client advisory skills, and the ability to balance objectives with risk across multiple matters in

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 7+ years of experience practicing trust and estate law, estate planning, probate, trust administration, estate settlement, fiduciary services, or a related legal field.
• Experience advising trustees, beneficiaries, executors, conservators, and other fiduciaries on trust and estate matters.
• Strong knowledge of trust administration, fiduciary principles, estate planning strategies, wealth transfer planning, and estate settlement processes.
• Experience reviewing, drafting, or interpreting estate planning documents, including trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and related fiduciary instruments.
• Ability to provide practical legal advice while balancing fiduciary responsibilities, client objectives, and business considerations.
• Experience building and managing relationships with high-net-worth clients and professional advisors preferred.
• Strong understanding of applicable trust, fiduciary, probate, and regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent communication, judgment, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to build credibility and serve as a trusted advisor to clients and business partners.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously.
• Collaborative mindset with experience working cross-functionally with legal, trust administration, wealth management, tax, and financial professionals.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to high-net-worth individuals, families, fiduciaries, and internal business partners on trust and estate matters.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, trustees, beneficiaries, financial advisors, tax professionals, and other key stakeholders.
• Provide legal guidance on trust administration, fiduciary responsibilities, estate settlement, wealth transfer strategies, and regulatory compliance.
• Review, interpret, and advise on trust agreements, wills, powers of attorney, estate planning documents, and related legal instruments.
• Counsel clients and fiduciaries regarding trust administration matters, beneficiary issues, account distributions, and fiduciary decision-making.
• Partner with internal business units to ensure trust services are delivered in accordance with fiduciary obligations, legal requirements, and organizational policies.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, fiduciary, and regulatory risks associated with trust and estate activities.
• Support complex client situations by developing practical solutions that balance client objectives, fiduciary responsibilities, and legal risk.
• Collaborate with external attorneys, accountants, wealth advisors, and tax professionals to support client needs and long-term planning objectives.
• Monitor account activity to ensure compliance with established company policies, fiduciary standards, regulatory requirements, and completion of annual Reg. 9 reviews.
• Stay current on trust, estate, fiduciary, and wealth planning laws, regulations, and industry developments that may impact clients and trust operations.
• Maintain accurate records of client interactions, legal guidance, and account activity while ensuring confidentiality and data integrity.

Skills

Relationship mgmt

Regulatory knowledge

Estate planning

Fiduciary duties

Legal advice

Cross-functional

Analytical thinking

Communication

Problem solving

Multi-tasking

Credibility

Attention to detail

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Who We Are

Join a team that puts its People First! Since 1889, First American (NYSE: FAF) has held an unwavering belief in its people. They are passionate about what they do, and we are equally passionate about fostering an environment where all feel welcome, supported, and empowered to be innovative and reach their full potential. Our inclusive, people-first culture has earned our company numerous accolades, including being named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for eleven consecutive years. We have also earned awards as a best place to work for women, diversity and LGBTQ+ employees, and have been included on more than 50 regional best places to work lists. First American will always strive to be a great place to work, for all. For more information, please visit www.careers.firstam.com.

What We Do

The Relationship Manager, Trust Counsel serves as a trusted legal advisor to high-net-worth individuals, families, fiduciaries, and internal business partners on trust and estate matters. This role combines sophisticated trust and estate expertise with client relationship management, providing guidance on trust administration, fiduciary responsibilities, estate settlement, estate planning strategies, and regulatory compliance. The position partners closely with trustees, beneficiaries, financial advisors, tax professionals, and wealth management teams to deliver exceptional client service and fiduciary solutions.

What You’ll Do:

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to high-net-worth individuals, families, fiduciaries, and internal business partners on trust and estate matters.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, trustees, beneficiaries, financial advisors, tax professionals, and other key stakeholders.
• Provide legal guidance on trust administration, fiduciary responsibilities, estate settlement, wealth transfer strategies, and regulatory compliance.
• Review, interpret, and advise on trust agreements, wills, powers of attorney, estate planning documents, and related legal instruments.
• Counsel clients and fiduciaries regarding trust administration matters, beneficiary issues, account distributions, and fiduciary decision-making.
• Partner with internal business units to ensure trust services are delivered in accordance with fiduciary obligations, legal requirements, and organizational policies.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, fiduciary, and regulatory risks associated with trust and estate activities.
• Support complex client situations by developing practical solutions that balance client objectives, fiduciary responsibilities, and legal risk.
• Collaborate with external attorneys, accountants, wealth advisors, and tax professionals to support client needs and long-term planning objectives.
• Monitor account activity to ensure compliance with established company policies, fiduciary standards, regulatory requirements, and completion of annual Reg. 9 reviews.
• Stay current on trust, estate, fiduciary, and wealth planning laws, regulations, and industry developments that may impact clients and trust operations.
• Maintain accurate records of client interactions, legal guidance, and account activity while ensuring confidentiality and data integrity.

What You’ll Bring:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 7+ years of experience practicing trust and estate law, estate planning, probate, trust administration, estate settlement, fiduciary services, or a related legal field.
• Experience advising trustees, beneficiaries, executors, conservators, and other fiduciaries on trust and estate matters.
• Strong knowledge of trust administration, fiduciary principles, estate planning strategies, wealth transfer planning, and estate settlement processes.
• Experience reviewing, drafting, or interpreting estate planning documents, including trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and related fiduciary instruments.
• Ability to provide practical legal advice while balancing fiduciary responsibilities, client objectives, and business considerations.
• Experience building and managing relationships with high-net-worth clients and professional advisors preferred.
• Strong understanding of applicable trust, fiduciary, probate, and regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent communication, judgment, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to build credibility and serve as a trusted advisor to clients and business partners.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously.
• Collaborative mindset with experience working cross-functionally with legal, trust administration, wealth management, tax, and financial professionals.

Note that the following statements only apply to candidates who will be working from an unincorporated area within Los Angeles County.

Pay Range: $148,600.00 - $198,200.00 Annually

This hiring range is a reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position at the time of posting. Pay is based on a number of factors which may include job-related knowledge, skills, experience, business requirements and geographic location.

First American will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws (e.g., the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act). First American intends to conduct a review of an applicant’s criminal history in connection with a conditional offer. First American reasonably believes that a criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following material job duties for this position potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment: handling of confidential, proprietary or trade secret information belonging to First American or its customers, administrating or facilitating financial transactions, and the ability to meet customer-imposed criminal history requirements.

What We Offer

By choice, we don’t simply accept individuality – we embrace it, we support it, and we thrive on it! Our People First culture is inclusive for all employees - not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it's the key to our success. We are proud to foster an authentic and inclusive workplace For All. You are free and encouraged to bring your entire, unique self to work. First American is an equal opportunity employer in every sense of the term.

Based on eligibility, First American offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO/paid sick leave and other great benefits like an employee stock purchase plan. Our people are the foundation of First American’s success and that is the reason we put them first. This philosophy has cultivated a culture of happy employees who are highly engaged, passionate about their work and leave each day feeling they have made a difference.

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