Trusts & Estates Associate - Portland

BUCHALTER LLP; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Buchalter LLP in Portland, OR seeks a junior-level associate (3-5 years) to join our Trusts & Estates practice. The role focuses on estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, and post-death trust administration for high-net-worth individuals, private foundations, and family offices.

The ideal candidate holds a JD, is admitted to the Oregon Bar (Washington bar a plus), and has demonstrated drafting experience and client-management skills across sophisticated trust documents.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
• Active Oregon State Bar license; Washington admission is a plus.
• 3–5 years of private client services experience with drafting estate planning documents.

Responsibilities

• Advise on multi-generational wealth planning and tax optimization. Direct client contact and liaison with advisors and senior partners.
• Draft complex estate plans, charitable gift agreements, and trust structures for sophisticated clients.
• Structure and implement wealth transfer techniques (dynasty trusts, GRATs, etc.).
• Counsel fiduciaries on post-death trust administration and related accounting issues.
• Advise on characterization of community and separate property; prenups/postnups a plus.
• Collaborate with clients and outside advisors on large-scale planning projects.

Skills

Communication skills

Drafting experience

Client management

Education

Juris Doctorate

Oregon Bar admission

Washington bar admission (plus)

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Portland Office - Portland, OR 97205Education Level: JDWe are seeking a highly skilled and experienced attorney to join our growing Trusts & Estates practice, with the position based in Portland. This is an exceptional opportunity for a junior level (3-5 years) associate with a strong background in estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, and post-death trust and estate administration to work with a dynamic team advising high-net-worth individuals, private foundations and family offices.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise clients on multi-generational wealth planning and tax optimization strategies. Expectation is that candidate will have direct client contact and will be a key liason between the clients and their advisors and the senior supervising partner.
• Draft complex estate plans, charitable gift agreements and trust structures tailored to sophisticated client needs.
• Structure and implement strategic wealth transfer techniques (e.g., dynasty trusts, sales to defective grantor trusts, Wandry gifts, grantor retained annuity trusts and charitable remainder trusts).
• Counsel fiduciaries on post-death trust administration and on-going trust administration (including familiarity with trust accounting rules, trust modifications, and decanting).
• Advise clients on the characterization of community and separate property, including transmutation agreements. Experience with prenuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation agreements a plus.
• Collaborate with clients and their outside advisors to manage large-scale planning projects.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Admission to and good standing with the Oregon State Bar. Additional state bar admission inWashington is a plus.
• Minimum of 3-5years of relevant experience in private client services in a law firm setting.
• Demonstrated independent drafting experience with a wide range of estate planning and trust documents.
• Superior oral and written communication skills and demonstrated management of client relationships and projects.

• Buchalter LLP offers a competitive salary, 401K, profit sharing and a full benefits package.

Buchalter was founded based on principles of inclusivity. Our firm’s commitment to reflecting and enhancing the rich diversity of the clients and communities we serve is more than eight decades strong. Buchalter’s diversity of attorneys and staff provides clients with a greater breadth of creative talent and alternative approaches, and enriches our firm’s collaborative, entrepreneurial and collegial environment, benefiting all. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. In recruiting, we welcome the unique contributions that all candidates can bring in terms of their education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.