Trust Counsel

Franklin Templeton; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Fiduciary Trust International, part of Franklin Templeton, is hiring a Trust Counsel to join our NY market team in Midtown. The Trust Counsel serves as an expert on estate planning, advanced tax planning, and trust and estate administration, for internal and external stakeholders.

We seek a JD or LLM with Bar admission and 10+ years in trust work, including cross-border planning. Excellent communication, organization and collaboration with advisory networks are essential.

Qualifications

• JD or LLM required and bar admission in relevant states.
• 10+ years of trust administration and wealth planning experience.
• Cross-border planning experience preferred.
• Knowledge of NY/ NJ trust laws and related jurisdictions preferred.
• Strong communication, organization and attention to detail.
• MS Office skills (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Network of professional advisor relationships to leverage.
• Fluency across financial planning disciplines including cash-flow, insurance, taxes, and investment planning.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert guidance on estate planning, taxes and trust administration.
• Collaborate with relationship teams and outside advisors to optimize client plans.
• Communicate updates on federal, state and local tax laws affecting client plans.
• Represent firm in the community and support new business initiatives.
• Lead and SME for projects related to client retention and growth.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Cross-border planning

Financial planning fluency

Education

JD or LLM

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Fiduciary Trust International is a premier investment and wealth management firm with a commitment to growing and protecting wealth across generations. We offer a dynamic and collaborative approach to managing wealth for high-net-worth and ultra high-net-worth individuals and families, family offices, endowments, foundations, and institutions. Our investment managers, tax and estate planning professionals work together to develop holistic strategies to optimize clients’ portfolios while mitigating the impact of taxes on their wealth. As a fiduciary, the guidance we provide is in the best interests of our clients, without conflict or competing benefits. We offer boutique customization and deep expertise in specialized investment, tax and planning strategies alongside sophisticated technology and custody platforms.

Fiduciary Trust International is owned by Franklin Templeton, a dynamic firm that spans asset management, wealth management, and fintech, giving us many ways to help investors make progress toward their goals. With clients in over 150 countries and offices on six continents, you’ll get exposed to different cultures, people, and business development happening around the world.

Trust Counsel

Fiduciary Trust International is hiring a Trust Counsel to join our NY market team in Midtown. The Trust Counsel serves as an expert, both internally and externally, on matters related to estate planning, advanced tax planning, and trust and estate administration.

Core Responsibilities

Wealth Planning

• Provide clients with holistic review of estate and wealth transfer plans, including recommendations on options to best achieve wealth transfer goals, working in collaboration with relationship teams and outside professional advisors
• Liaise with internal team members and outside professional advisors to gather all relevant information, then develop and implement any changes or additions to the client plans
• Understand and update team and clients regarding changes to federal, state and local estate, gift and income tax laws and proactively identify impact to client plans

Trust And Estate Community Involvement/Marketing And Sales

• Collaborate and coordinate with market teams and nationally in order to provide clients with breadth of firm’s offerings
• Assist and participate in new business meetings in order to articulate value proposition of integrated wealth management offering
• Actively represent the firm in the community through thought leadership and participation in industry groups such as bar associations, committees, networking groups and conferences
• Act as a leader and SME for specific new projects and initiatives related to new business development and client retention

Provide Trust Administration Guidance

• Provide guidance to trust team members on all aspects of estate and trust administration
• Review intake of new trust business and related documents in accordance with trust acceptance procedures
• Provide advice concerning trust terminations, accountings, decantings and use of nonjudicial settlement agreements
• Engage and manage outside counsel
• Review exercises of discretion, including distributions of principal and income

Qualifications

• JD or LLM required
• Bar admission in relevant states required
• 10+ years of trust administration and wealth planning experience in a legal or professional environment. Law firm experience preferred
• Cross-border planning experience preferred
• Knowledge of state-specific Trust laws, including NY, New Jersey, and other jurisdictions, preferred
• Network of professional advisor relationships to leverage and collaborate with
• Fluency across financial planning disciplines, including cash-flow planning, insurance and risk management, income tax planning and investment planning, preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail
• MS office skills (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Compensation

Franklin Templeton offers employees a competitive and valuable range of total rewards—monetary and non-monetary—designed to support their well-being and recognize their time, talents, and results. Along with base compensation, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, a 401(k) plan with a generous match, and recognition rewards. We also offer a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a range of competitive healthcare options, insurance, and disability benefits, employee stock investment program, learning resources, career development programs, reimbursement for certain education expenses, paid time off (vacation / holidays / sick / leave / parental & caregiving leave / bereavement / volunteering / floating holidays) and a motivational wellbeing program. We expect the base salary for this position to range between $250,000 - $275,000, depending on level of relevant experience, plus bonus.

Hybrid

Experience our welcoming culture and reach your professional and personal potential! Our culture is shaped by the variety of perspectives and experiences brought by talent from around the world. Regardless of your interests, lifestyle, or background, there’s a place for you at Franklin Templeton. We provide employees with the tools, resources, and learning opportunities to help them excel in their career and personal life.

By joining us, you will become part of a culture that focuses on employee well-being and provides multidimensional support for a positive and healthy lifestyle. We understand that benefits are at the core of employee well-being and may vary depending on individual needs. Whether you need support for maintaining your physical and mental health, saving for life’s adventures, taking care of your family members, or making a positive impact in your community, we aim to have them covered.

Most benefits vary by location. Ask your recruiter about benefits in your country.

Franklin Templeton is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees, and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, or gender expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation.

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Artificial intelligence or automated tools may be used to assist in the screening, assessment, or selection of applicants for this position.