Description:
Role Overview:Reports to:
Founding Attorney
Location:
On-site, Vancouver, WA
Compensation:
$120,000 – $150,000 annually, depending on experience
NW Legacy Law helps families plan their estates and settle the affairs of loved ones with clarity and efficiency. As an Estate Planning and Settlement Attorney, you work across both the estate planning and estate settlement teams, leading client consultations, guiding families through major planning decisions, directing estate administrations, representing clients in Oregon and Washington county courts, and helping assign matters across the attorney team.
Why join us:
- Real impact. You help families plan ahead and guide them through loss, and you see each matter through to resolution.
- Set up to succeed. You step into a defined workflow with a support team and mentorship from the Founding Attorney.
- Established and recognized. You join a firm that has served Clark County families since 2014, with a steady client base and recognition.
- Range of estate work. You handle estate planning, estate settlement, probate, trust administration, and tax matters, with access to professional networks including WealthCounsel and NAELA.
Key Responsibilities:
Client Relations
- Lead client consultations and meetings. Assess goals, identify issues, and answer questions clearly.
- Provide legal advice and strategy across estate planning and estate settlement matters.
- Present the scope of services and associated fees for proposed work.
- Explain firm processes from consultation through the close of each engagement.
- Keep clients informed at each stage of their matter.
- Offer optional legal assistance, including Client Care Program (CCP) benefits.
- Lead signing meetings, including signature and transformative estate plans.
- Lead periodic meetings to review the status of each administration.
- Set extended or supplemental engagement terms when work goes beyond the original scope.
- Advise the appropriate Team Lead on the scope of legal services and direct document drafting to meet client needs.
- Review prepared documents, direct revisions and customization, and answer related questions.
- Explain documents and procedures to clients and team members in plain terms.
- Represent clients at county court hearings in Oregon and Washington, prepared and professional.
- Communicate respectfully with co-counsel, opposing counsel, court staff, and other third parties.
- Draft and customize documents using the firm's drafting platforms.
- Track time on hourly matters promptly and accurately — though most of our work is fixed-price, so the focus is on doing the work well, not watching the clock.
- With the Founding Attorney, delegate and assign matters to other attorneys.
- Follow each team's workflow so cases move on schedule.
- Meet deadlines and commitments to clients and the firm.
- Come prepared to client and firm meetings, ready to contribute.
- Maintain Washington or Oregon Bar membership in good standing and earn admission to the other state within 12 months.
- Complete CLEs and share relevant takeaways with the team.
- Conduct legal research as needed.
Required Qualifications:
- Active member in good standing of the Washington or Oregon State Bar.
- At least 4 years of legal experience in estate planning, estate settlement, or probate.
- Eligible and willing to gain admission to the other state within 12 months. Firm covers the cost and provides study time.
- Working knowledge of estate planning documents and drafting, plus readiness to learn the other state's requirements.
- Working knowledge of probate procedure in Washington or Oregon, plus readiness to learn the other.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable with legal drafting platforms and Microsoft Office.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Active membership in both the Oregon AND Washington State Bars.
- Notary public license in Oregon or Washington.
- Knowledge of Oregon and Washington trust administration.
- Knowledge of Oregon, Washington, and federal estate tax, including asset allocation and estate tax returns.
- Experience administering taxable estates.
- You Apply Legal Knowledge to Solve Real Client Problems.
- You Spot Issues Early and Offer Practical Solutions.
- You Manage Several Matters at Once without Losing the Details.
- You Work Independently and Help Guide a Team.
- You Enjoy Questions, Problem-Solving, and Collaboration.
