Senior Estate and Litigation Attorney

Protouch Staffing; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with firm contributions

CLE support

Paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Our client in Chicago seeks an experienced Estate Planning Attorney at the Senior Associate or Partner level to join the Trusts & Estates practice. The role focuses on drafting sophisticated documents, advising high-net-worth families, and implementing complex wealth transfer strategies.

The candidate should have 10+ years of concentrated estate planning experience, strong drafting skills, and the ability to lead client matters while mentoring junior staff.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school with Illinois bar eligibility or admission.
• 10+ years of concentrated estate planning experience strongly preferred.
• Experience drafting sophisticated estate planning documents and trusts.
• Ability to coordinate with CPAs, family offices, and advisors.

Responsibilities

• Counsel high-net-worth clients on estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning strategies.
• Design and implement sophisticated estate plans tailored to tax and wealth objectives.
• Draft and review revocable/irrevocable trusts, ILITs, GRATs, CRATs, SLATs, and wills.
• Prepare and supervise IRS Forms 706/709 as part of estate planning.
• Mentor junior attorneys and contribute to private-client practice growth.

Skills

Drafting

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Client communication

Business development

Education

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

Licensed to practice law in Illinois or eligible for timely admission

LL.M. in Taxation (preferred)

Job description

Our client is seeking an experienced Estate Planning Attorney at the Senior Associate or Partner level to join our Trusts & Estates practice. This position is best suited for a seasoned practitioner with substantial experience drafting sophisticated estate planning documents, advising high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families, and implementing complex wealth transfer strategies.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience independently handling advanced estate planning matters, preparing and reviewing estate and gift tax returns, and coordinating planning strategies with clients' financial advisors, CPAs, family offices, and other professional advisors. The successful candidate will be entrusted with significant client responsibility and will play a key role in growing and developing the firm's private-client practice.

While we strongly prefer candidates with 10+ years of concentrated estate planning experience, we are willing to consider extraordinary candidates with exceptional drafting skills and demonstrated expertise in sophisticated estate planning techniques.

This is an in-office position in downtown Chicago, IL.

Key Responsibilities

• Counsel high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients on estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning strategies.
• Design and implement sophisticated estate plans tailored to clients' tax, business succession, charitable giving, and family wealth preservation objectives.
• Draft and review complex estate planning documents, including:
  • Revocable and irrevocable trusts
  • Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs)
  • Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs)
  • Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts (CRATs)
  • Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATs)
  • Dynasty trusts and other advanced wealth-transfer vehicles
  • Wills, powers of attorney, and related planning instruments
• Prepare and/or supervise the preparation of federal estate and gift tax returns, including Forms 706 and 709.
• Advise clients regarding estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax issues, portability elections, and tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies.
• Manage complex probate and trust administration matters, including tax reporting, valuations, fiduciary accountings, and distributions.
• Coordinate implementation of planning strategies with CPAs, financial advisors, valuation professionals, trust officers, and family office personnel.
• Oversee planning involving multiple entities, investment accounts, business interests, insurance structures, and family wealth assets.
• Support sophisticated business succession planning in collaboration with corporate and real estate teams.
• Mentor junior attorneys and staff, as appropriate, and contribute to the continued growth of the Trusts & Estates practice.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Licensed to practice law in Illinois or eligible for timely admission.
• Preferably 10 or more years of concentrated estate planning experience.
• Significant experience drafting sophisticated estate planning documents with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated experience serving high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and fiduciaries.
• Experience preparing, reviewing, or supervising preparation of IRS Forms 706 and 709.
• Strong knowledge of federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning.
• Exceptional drafting, analytical, organizational, and client communication skills.
• Ability to independently manage complex matters while effectively collaborating with clients and outside advisors.

Preferred Experience

• LL.M. in Taxation and/or substantial transfer-tax planning experience.
• Experience with advanced planning strategies involving ILITs, GRATs, CRATs, SLATs, charitable planning, family limited entities, and business succession planning.
• Existing book of business or demonstrated business development experience.
• Familiarity with Illinois Probate Act practice in Cook County and surrounding jurisdictions.
• Experience working closely with financial advisors, accountants, family offices, and other professional advisors serving affluent families.

Compensation And Benefits

Compensation starts at $200,000 and will be commensurate with experience, expertise, and portable book of business.

The Firm Offers a Comprehensive Benefits Package, Including

• Health insurance
• 401(k) with firm contributions
• CLE support
• Paid time off
• Professional development opportunities