Description:

Private Client and Tax Division
Today, we are the only truly global law firm dedicated to the personal and private capital needs of high-net-worth individuals and families.

Many of our clients are international families with interests in a number of locations. In a fast-moving and increasingly compliance focused world, the need for integrated advice that reaches across borders has never been greater. With offices across Europe, the United States and Asia-Pacific we provide coverage that other law firms in this area cannot match. Our team of experienced private client solicitors continually look for opportunities to ensure we have a strong presence in the locations where our clients live, work and invest.

Our advice to fiduciaries covers the design and implementation of new plans, as well as the modernization and consolidation of older trusts. We also assist them in complying with the complex rules surrounding investments, accounting, taxes, and compliance.

This practice generates approximately 55% of the partnership's revenues and is the largest in the world with over 300 people. We advise on domestic and international tax, estate planning, succession and mental capacity laws in Europe, the US and Asia, as well as facilitating our client's philanthropic endeavors. We have immigration teams in the major financial centers and are well placed to deal with tax investigation and litigation cases. Real estate is very important to our clients, and we have a specialist residential and rural team.

The Role:
This role will sit in our Los Angeles office.

Withers is seeking a dynamic, self-starting estate and trust attorney with a vision, initiative and demonstrated commitment to guiding clients through wealth transitions with estate planning that is clear, creative, and enduring. 

Familiarity with estate planning for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients with complex family structures and complex assets.
Comfortability structuring charitable organizations and foundations, structuring major and planned gifts, and ensuring compliance.
Highly skilled in foundational (revocable) estate planning for clients and able to handle planning from start to finish; including, the initial interview, plan design and drafting, review and discussion with the client, execution, and follow up.
Exposure to estate with irrevocable trusts such as: CRUTs, GRATs, IDGTs, ILITs, and QPRTs.
Possesses previous gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax skills, and is able to:
engage with ultra-high net worth clients to design and implement complex estate freeze and charitable planning with technical precision; and
prepare and review estate and gift tax returns.
Ability to independently run a post-mortem trust administration, expertly advising fiduciaries to keep them ahead of milestones, avoiding pitfalls and surprises, and efficiently shepherding distribution to assets to beneficiaries.
The role will also involve contributing to the team's profile and undertaking business development activities to establish, develop, and maintain long-term relationships; including, writing articles/posts, attending events/conferences and building networks with private wealth contacts/intermediaries including global and peer firms and counsel.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive. It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for the performance of this job, and as such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Key Skills and Experience

Strong academic credentials (J.D. required; Tax LL.M. a plus);
Between 3 – 5 years practicing in a law firm Trusts & Estates group;
California bar membership is required;
Proven ability to stay on top of a busy practice – including time recording, proactive deadline and matter management, and taking ownership of assigned projects – and doesn't require supervision in these areas;
Demonstrates a genuine interest in contributing to the firm's success as a whole, including through mentorship of junior team members and development and refinement of firm processes;
Inspires the confidence of clients, intermediaries and referral sources (internal and external); and
Takes a practical approach to solving client problems, and is nimble in employing tools to implement these solutions.
For California, the expected salary range for this position is between $205,000 and $260,000. The actual compensation will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law.