Description:
Role Overview:Reports to:
Founding Attorney
Location:
On-site, Vancouver, WA
Compensation:
$90,000 – $120,000 annually, depending on experience
NW Legacy Law helps families settle estates and move through probate with clarity and efficiency. As an Estate Settlement Attorney, you advise clients directly, guide a support team through each case, and represent clients in county courts across Oregon and Washington. You own the client relationship from first consultation through the close of each engagement.
Why join us:
- Real impact. You help families during a difficult time and 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 settlement, probate, trust administration, and tax matters, with access to professional networks including WealthCounsel and NAELA.
Key Responsibilities:
Client Relations
- Lead client consultations and ongoing meetings. Assess goals, identify issues, and answer questions clearly.
- Provide legal advice and strategy for estate settlement matters.
- Present the scope of services and associated fees for proposed work.
- Explain the estate settlement process from consultation through close of engagement.
- Set engagement terms, including extended or supplemental terms when work goes beyond original scope.
- Keep clients informed at each stage of their matter.
- Direct the support team on document drafting so each draft meets the client's needs and objectives.
- Review prepared estate settlement documents and give clear direction on revisions.
- Explain estate settlement 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.
- Respond to emails, calls, and internal messages promptly.
- 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.
- Follow the 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 2 years of legal experience; probate or estate settlement experience preferred.
- Working knowledge of Washington or Oregon probate procedures.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable with case management software and Microsoft Office.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Active Washington AND Oregon State Bar membership.
- 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.
- Experience drafting estate planning documents for Oregon and Washington.
- 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 Stay Motivated.
- You Enjoy Questions, Problem-Solving, and Working as Part of A Team.
