Description:

Harrison LLP is a national law firm specializing in private wealth planning. The Firm's services extend to the natural interplay among estate planning, tax controversies, business succession, matrimonial law, and related affinity practices. Founded in 2003, Harrison LLP focuses on providing sophisticated legal advice, exceptional client service, and innovative solutions.

We are seeking a Senior Tax and Estate Planning Attorney with 6-8+ years of experience to expand our income tax capabilities and work with our estate planning and corporate/M&A teams. This role will support business owners and their companies through formation, operations, acquisitions, dispositions, and succession- while integrating income tax planning with wealth transfer, trust/estate, and asset protection strategies. The ideal candidate blends technical depth with practical judgment, collaborates well across disciplines, and enjoys creative problem solving for complex, real-world client scenarios.

What you will do:

Core Income Tax Advisory (Gap to be Filled)

Advise on Subchapter C, Subchapter K, Subchapter J, and Subchapter S matters, including entity classification, allocations, basis, and distribution planning.
Advise on estate planning strategies involving life insurance and including, but not limited to, split‑dollar arrangements.
Help to structure M&A transactions (buy- and sell-side) with a focus on tax efficiency and client goals.
Assist on executing and advising on 1031 like-kind exchanges, 1202 qualified small business stock, and choice-of-entity planning for startups and operating businesses.
Support 409A and executive compensation/succession structures for closely held businesses.

Estate, Gift & Wealth Transfer Integration

Coordinate income tax planning with gift/estate tax strategies, private foundations, trusts, and multi-generational planning.
Partner with our estate planning attorneys to ensure seamless, tax-efficient wealth transfer outcomes.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Serve as an internal resource for attorneys firmwide who have income tax questions on active matters (e.g., corporate, medical practice/M&A, insurance-funded planning, and general EP).
Work closely with external advisors (CPAs, valuation firms, wealth managers) to deliver holistic solutions.

What you will need:

J.D. from an accredited law school.
Active Illinois Bar license in good standing.
A CPA and/or LLM in Tax.
6-8+ years of substantive tax experience, ideally in private client and closely held business contexts.
Demonstrated proficiency in Subchapter C, K, J, and S, 1031, 1202, and choice-of-entity analysis.
Experience with income and partnership tax advisory for operating businesses.
Strong research, drafting, and client communication skills; collaborative working style.

What Would Be Nice To Have:

Experience with private foundations, gift/estate tax planning, and succession/409A frameworks.
Background in M&A tax for closely held and middle-market companies.
Comfort mentoring junior lawyers and integrating with external advisors (CPAs/wealth managers).
Small to no portable book is preferred; willingness to grow within an established client platform.

Attributes for Success:

Creative problem-solver who can translate complex tax rules into practical client advice.
Broad technical range with the judgment to spot issues across income tax, partnership, and wealth transfer.
Team-first collaborator who is accessible and responsive to colleagues and internal referrals.
Builder mindset - excited to help formalize and scale an income tax offering within an estate planning-centric firm.

Example Matters You Might Handle:

Choice-of-entity and 1202 planning for an early-stage business preparing to scale.
Subchapter K partnership allocation, basis, and distribution planning for a multi-owner operating company.
1031 exchange structuring for a real estate investor coordinating with trust and estate planning.
Sale of a closely held medical practice with tax-efficient rollover equity and executive comp/409A planning.
Establishment and on-going counsel to private foundations tied to family wealth planning.

Why Join Harrison LLP?

Competitive compensation and transparent professional development path.
Join a respected platform with deep estate planning and private client roots - and elevate Harrison LLP's income tax and partnership tax capabilities.
Work primarily in-office in Chicago for purposes of collaboration, comradery, and rapid team problem-solving.
Serve business owners and senior executives through full lifecycles: formation, growth, sale, and succession - integrated with wealth planning.
Opportunity to work with a premier private wealth planning firm handling sophisticated estate planning matters.
Supportive, collaborative team environment with clear expectations and growth opportunities.
Chance to directly impact client service and firm success.
Hybrid work structure with focus on Chicago office presence (Monday through Thursday in office).

Target Salary Range: $200,000 - $250,000 annually. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors including but not limited to experience and training, and other job-related factors permitted by law. This role will also be eligible for an annual discretionary variable incentive bonus.