Trust Counsel

Commerce Trust; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 119,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employer-sponsored health insurance

401(k)

Paid vacation and personal time

Career development assistance

Job summary

A financial services firm in Kansas City is seeking a Trust Counsel to provide legal and regulatory advice regarding trust administration. The position requires a Juris Doctor degree, at least 5 years of legal experience, and strong expertise in estate planning and tax laws. The candidate will evaluate estate plan documents, draft legal forms, and work with internal teams on various trust matters. Comprehensive benefits and a competitive salary ranging from $119,000 to $163,000 are offered, based on experience.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of legal experience required.
• Active status bar license from Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, or Texas required.
• Law firm or in-house experience at a fiduciary services company preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal and regulatory advice on trust administration.
• Review and evaluate estate plan documents for acceptance.
• Draft and review complex business forms and fiduciary documents.

Skills

Strong knowledge of estate planning

Strong knowledge of tax laws

Proven ability to draft legal documents

Excellent communication skills

Education

Juris Doctor Degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

About This Job

The main purpose of this job is to provide legal and regulatory advice and guidance on trust administration, including private client trust administration and institutional trust administration. The role supports advisors and trust professionals on estate planning, tax and wealth management issues, and identifies legal risks and practical risk‑mitigating solutions to support the organization’s growth objectives.

Essential Functions

• Collaborate with client teams to create innovative solutions that mitigate risk and assess risks associated with the administration of private trusts, institutional trusts, and estates.
• Review estate plan documents in which Commerce Trust is appointed as a trustee or executor, evaluate the ability of Commerce to administer the trust or estate, and provide a recommendation on acceptance or declination of appointment.
• Draft and review complex business forms such as assignments, deeds, and transfers of partnership interests.
• Provide counsel on fiduciary duties and discretion, including distributions, loans, pledges, trust terminations, employee benefit and endowment plans, and specialty asset administration.
• Serve as a voting member on governance committees and subcommittees, including Trust Administration, Investment, and Risk Committees.
• Work with the internal tax group to monitor tax matters related to income tax (including capital gains), estate tax, gift tax, and charitable trusts, review related filings (e.g., Forms 706, 709, 990, 1040, 1041), and understand estate assets and trust fundings.
• Advise the Special Assets team on administration of real estate or closely‑held entities in trust and estate accounts.
• Notify and train Commerce Trust teams on policy and procedural updates.
• Author memorandums on technical trust and estate topics and deliver training presentations to internal personnel.
• Review and edit client‑facing trust marketing content in collaboration with Compliance partners.
• Select and oversee outside counsel and develop strategy for fiduciary litigation or representation of the Bank.
• Assist with assembly and reporting of information necessary for periodic regulatory examinations.
• Perform other duties as assigned that support the strategic goals of the organization.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Strong knowledge of estate planning, gifting, and tax planning principles.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state estate and tax laws, including the Prudent Investor Act, Uniform Trust Code, Uniform Fiduciary Principal and Income Act.
• Knowledge of fiduciary income tax, federal and state estate and gift tax, and taxation of non‑profit or tax‑exempt entities, including ERISA prohibited transaction rules.
• Ability and desire to stay up‑to‑date on changes in applicable laws and regulations affecting trust administration.
• Proven ability to read and interpret private trusts and employee benefit documents written at sophisticated levels.
• Proven ability to draft or review real estate documents such as deeds, sale contracts, and commercial leases.
• Proven ability to negotiate contract and lease terms to mitigate risk.
• Proven ability to draft or review corporate documents, including bylaws, operating agreements, partnership agreements, assignments of interest, and corporate resolutions.
• Ability to recognize and evaluate business and legal risks and advocate for innovative solutions.
• Motivated, organized self‑starter with strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Inquisitive, agile team player with excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills and a bias toward action.
• Ability to remain adaptable and resilient with an optimistic outlook aligned with the company culture and core values.
• Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook.

Education & Experience

• Juris Doctor Degree required.
• 5+ years of legal experience required.
• Law firm or in‑house experience at a fiduciary services company preferred.
• Active status bar license from Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, or Texas required.
• The level of the role is determined by knowledge, experience, skills, abilities, and education.
• For employees under pay‑transparency requirements, the compensation range for the Trust Counsel II & Senior job is $119,000 to $163,000 annually, adjusted for factors such as location, skill set, and licensure. The role may be eligible for additional performance‑based incentive compensation.

Compensation Range

Annual Salary: $119,000.00 - $163,000.00 (amount based on relevant experience, skills, and competencies).

Benefits

Employer‑sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k); life insurance; paid vacation and personal time; career development; education assistance; voluntary supplemental benefits.

Location

1000 Walnut St, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

Employment Type

Full time