Estate Planning & Wealth Transfer Associate

Gould & Ratner LLP•Chicago, IL

33d•Hybrid

About The Position

Gould & Ratner LLP is seeking an experienced Associate to join its Estate Planning and Wealth Transfer Group. The ideal candidate will have significant experience advising high-net-worth individuals and families on sophisticated estate planning, succession planning, and wealth transfer strategies, as well as advising closely held businesses on tax-efficient planning and transition strategies. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with partners and clients on complex, high-level matters and to play a meaningful role in business development. More information about the Estate Planning & Wealth Transfer Group can be found here - https://www.gouldratner.com/service-area/estate-planning-and-wealth-transfer

Requirements

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.

Nice To Haves

CPA or LLM in Taxation is preferred but not required.

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.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefit package and competitive salary - more info can be found here https://www.gouldratner.com/uploaded_images/GR-salary%20scale-benefits-page-2-01-21-25.pdf
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.

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