Trusts & Estates Associate - Portland

Buchalter PC; Portland, Northern (OR, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

401(k) plan

Profit sharing

Full benefits package

Job summary

Buchalter LLP in Portland seeks an experienced associate for our Trusts & Estates practice. The ideal candidate has 3–5 years of private client experience and a strong background in estate planning and post-death administration.

The role involves advising high-net-worth individuals and family offices, drafting complex estate plans, and coordinating with advisory teams to execute wealth transfer strategies. Oregon Bar admission is required.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Oregon State Bar admission in good standing (Washington is a plus).
• 3–5 years of private client experience in a law firm.
• Strong drafting skills for estate planning and trust documents.
• Excellent written and oral communication; client management experience.

Responsibilities

• Advise high-net-worth clients on wealth planning and tax optimization.
• Draft complex estate plans and trust structures tailored to clients.
• Structure and implement wealth transfer techniques (dynasty trusts, GRATs, etc.).
• Counsel fiduciaries on post-death trust administration.
• Collaborate with clients and outside advisors on large planning projects.

Skills

Estate planning

Wealth transfer strategies

Client management

Drafting

Education

Juris Doctorate

Oregon State Bar admission

Job description

We 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.