Gould & Ratner LLP · 1 week ago
Estate Planning & Wealth Transfer Associate
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Mid, Senior Level
4+ years expGould & Ratner LLP is seeking an experienced Associate to join its Estate Planning and Wealth Transfer Group. The role involves advising high-net-worth individuals and families on estate planning and wealth transfer strategies, as well as working closely with partners on complex matters and business development.
Consulting
Responsibilities
Advise high-net-worth individuals and families on comprehensive estate planning and wealth transfer strategies, including lifetime and testamentary planning
Design and implement succession planning for family-owned and closely held businesses
Provide tax planning advice for closely held businesses and business owners, including entity structuring and transfer strategies
Draft and implement sophisticated estate planning documents, including:
Revocable and irrevocable trusts
Grantor trusts (e.g., IDGTs, SLATs)
Dynasty trusts
Charitable planning vehicles (e.g., CLTs, CRUTs)
Family limited partnerships and LLC structures
Advise clients on gifting strategies and lifetime wealth transfer, including use of exemptions, valuation discounts, and compliance with tax reporting requirements
Counsel executors, trustees, and beneficiaries in estate and trust administration matters, including:
Probate and trust settlement
Fiduciary duties and risk management
Estate and fiduciary income tax issues
Coordinate with accountants, financial advisors, and other professional advisors to deliver integrated planning solutions
Participate in client development, presentations, and thought leadership initiatives
Qualification
Required
J.D. from an accredited law school; active license and good standing in Illinois
Minimum of 4 years of experience in estate planning, wealth transfer, and trust and estate administration
Substantial experience advising high-net-worth individuals and families
Demonstrated experience with closely held business planning and related tax strategies
Strong drafting skills with sophisticated trust and business planning structures
Solid understanding of federal estate, gift, GST, and fiduciary income tax regimes
Experience independently managing complex matters with limited supervision
Excellent client service, communication, and project management skills
Preferred
CPA or LLM in Taxation is preferred but not required
Benefits
Comprehensive benefit package and competitive salary
Emphasis on professional & business development
Low turnover, collegial and collaborative environment
Healthcare (medical, vision, dental), life and long-term disability insurance
Competitive compensation, benefits package including 401k and profit sharing
Paid primary and secondary caregiver leave
Generous vacation, personal, & sick time allowance
Pre-tax commuter benefits and wellness programs (e.g., in-office gym and massages; 24/7 tele-medicine)
Hybrid in-office/remote role. Gould & Ratner's current in-office policy requires attorneys to be in the office 10 days a month
Company
Gould & Ratner LLP
Gould & Ratner LLP is a law firm with operations in Illinois.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Michael Hill, CPA, CLM
Chief Financial Officer
Aaron May
Partner
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