Compass Business Solutions, Inc. · 1 month ago
Senior Paralegal, Trust and Estates
Washington, DC
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$60/hr - $70/hr
10+ years expCompass Business Solutions, Inc. is a firm focused on modernizing estate planning through innovative practices. They are seeking a Senior Paralegal to provide comprehensive support in trust and estate administration, collaborating with attorneys and managing complex legal processes.
ConsultingHuman ResourcesSmall and Medium Businesses
Responsibilities
Participate in internal client strategy discussions, providing procedural, administrative, and technical expertise to ensure optimal, high-quality legal services
Manage the end-to-end administration process for non-taxable and complex estates and trusts, including asset inventories, notice procedures, and coordination of appraisals
Prepare and manage probate court filings, including petitions, inventories, accountings, and closing documents, ensuring compliance with applicable local rules and deadlines
Prepare SS-4 forms, manage authorizations, and apply for tax identification numbers (EINs) for trusts and entities created by the Firm; work with third-party service providers and draft necessary documentation to create and form entities
Collaborate with attorneys on drafting estate-planning-related documents, including powers of attorney, LLC operating agreements, Crummey letters, promissory notes, and related materials
Prepare and file complex Federal Gift Tax Returns (Form 709) and Federal Estate Tax Returns (Form 706), addressing advanced issues such as portability elections, valuation adjustments, and complex gifting strategies
Prepare and execute documentation for complex asset transfers, including deeds, assignments, and advanced funding instructions
Prepare and send Firm correspondence, including engagement letters, cover letters, signing instructions, ancillary documents (e.g., Assignments of Tangible Personal Property and Trust Certifications), and other communications accompanying legal documents
Design, implement, and manage systems to support trust and estate administration across multiple legal projects and business lines as the Firm grows and as laws evolve, ensuring ongoing compliance with estate planning and tax regulations
Provide training, mentorship, and guidance to team members on Firm procedures, best practices, and technical compliance standards
Qualification
Required
Strong working knowledge of state-specific probate processes, trust administration procedures, and foundational estate planning documents
Deep understanding of federal transfer taxes, basis adjustment, income tax issues related to estates and trusts, and entity formation
Expert-level proficiency in preparing and filing Forms 706 and 709 for taxable estates and complex gifting strategies, with a proven history of designing and implementing legal administrative and compliance systems
A resourceful self-starter who takes initiative and quickly assimilates and applies new knowledge
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-energy, and team-oriented environment
Meticulous, organized, self-motivated, practical, and flexible; able to manage multiple complex and shifting priorities effectively
Strong verbal and written communication skills; able to communicate information clearly and professionally; open to receiving and giving feedback
Ability to work independently while also developing strong internal and external relationships
Builds trust, honors commitments, and treats all with respect; uses those skills to reach consensus, produce high-quality work, and meet deadlines
Strong aptitude for technology with proficiency in MS Office Suite, advanced skills in Excel, Clio, estate and gift tax preparation software (e.g., GEMS), and cloud-based document management systems (e.g., Box)
Bachelor's degree and/or Paralegal Certificate from an ABA-approved program; demonstrated related experience may substitute for preferred education
Preferred
Strong knowledge of irrevocable trusts, including GRATs, IDGTs, and ILITs
Minimum of 10 years of experience in the Trusts & Estates practice area
Demonstrated progressive supervisory or leadership experience
Experience working with ultra-high-net-worth families and individuals
Company
Compass Business Solutions, Inc.
At Compass, we maximize organizational performance through a wide variety of programs designed to empower the backbone of any organization — its people.
11-50 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Compass Business Solutions, Inc. has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (2)
2024 (4)
2023 (5)
2022 (21)
2021 (73)
2020 (22)
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Alisa Spector Angelo
Chief Executive Officer
Company data provided by crunchbase