Trusts & Estates Associate Attorney

Donahue Fitzgerald LLP; Oakland (CA); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tiered bonus program

Competitive benefits

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Donahue Fitzgerald LLP in Oakland, CA seeks an associate attorney for its Trusts & Estates practice. The role focuses on sophisticated estate planning and trust administration for high-net-worth clients, with a clear path toward partnership in a collaborative firm environment.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of experience, strong drafting and client-management skills, and a pro-bono mindset. The firm offers professional development, work-life balance, and a tiered bonus program, with a hybrid

Qualifications

• 5+ years in estate planning and trust administration; tax background preferred.
• Experience drafting GST, SLATs, GRATs, IDGTs and charitable trusts.
• Experience handling probate trust administration; some litigation preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; client interfacing.
• Detail-oriented with strong organization and mult itasking in fast-paced environment.
• Office presence required first 90 days, then hybrid schedule.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal services in trusts and estates matters.
• Draft and implement complex estate planning strategies.
• Manage probate and trust administration matters; file motions as needed.
• Interface with clients regularly and collaborate with team.
• Utilize MS Office and Document Management System tools.

Skills

Estate planning

Trust administration

Tax background

Drafting complex estate plans

Communication skills

Client interfacing

Detail-oriented

Organization

MS Office / DMS

AI tools (Co-Counsel, Co-Pilot, NetDat

Tools

MS Office Suite

Document Management System

NetDocuments

Co-Counsel

Co-Pilot

Job description

Donahue Fitzgerald is a highly respected and growing law firm with a strong commitment to providing exceptional legal services to our clients. Our Trusts and Estates practice is a cornerstone of our firm, recognized for its sophisticated handling of complex and high-stakes disputes. We pride ourselves on a collaborative environment, professional development opportunities, and a commitment to work-life balance. We represent a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, fiduciaries, and charitable organizations, in all aspects of trust and estate controversies
We seek an associate attorney for our Trusts & Estates practice group in our Oakland office. In this time of significant planning opportunities for clients, the Trusts & Estates group has seen demand for its services increase exponentially. The position is well-suited for someone who enjoys being busy and wants to work for a firm with an established path to partnership.
We believe in rewarding hard work. Our attorneys have a minimum billable hour requirement of 1,610 hours per year. For those who meet or exceed this goal, our tiered bonus program provides a clear path to increase your earnings significantly.
The annual base salary for this position is $165,000 to $195,000. Depending on billable hours, total compensation can range up to $207,000 for those at the lower end of the salary range, or up to $245,000 at the higher end.

Knowledge, Skills And Experience

• 5+ years of estate planning and trust administration experience, with a background in tax preferred.
• Experience drafting and implementing complex estate planning strategies such as GST legacy trusts, SLATs, GRATs, IDGTs, and Charitable Trusts.
• Experience handling probate trust administration matters, including preparing and filing motions and some litigation preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to interface with clients regularly.
• Must be detail-oriented.
• Ability to problem solve and work with a variety of personalities and work styles.
• Must be a self-starter with superior organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple assignments within a fast-pace environment.
• Proficient with MS Office Suite and a Document Management System desired.
• Experience with AI tools including Co-Counsel, Co-Pilot and NetDocuments.
• Must work in the office for five days during the first 90 days of employment, followed by a hybrid schedule of three days in-office.
  

This is an exciting opportunity to join a well-established firm that offers interesting work, a collaborative working environment, opportunities to support pro bono activities and competitive benefits.
The salary range for this position applies to California. The salary range reflects a variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, education, licensure and/or certifications, geographic location, market demands, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for a position. A reasonable estimate of the current range for this position is $165,000-$195,000.
DF LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer