Senior Counsel

Laird Norton Wetherby • Seattle, WA

11d • $225,000 - $275,000

About The Position

LNW is seeking a Senior Counsel to join our team as the company’s primary lawyer serving our trust company and registered investment adviser businesses. This is a generalist role with significant breadth—you will advise on trust administration, manage litigation, support compliance, and counsel business leaders across the organization on everything from contracts to client disputes.
You will work closely with other executives who have legal backgrounds, including the Chief Operating Officer and the President of Trust Services, and have meaningful exposure to leadership across the firm. This is an opportunity for a resourceful, adaptable lawyer to take on substantial responsibility and grow with the organization. The right candidate is someone who thrives on variety, operates independently, and brings sound judgment to problems that don't have easy answers.

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing (admission in Washington or eligibility for prompt admission required)
• 8+ years of legal experience (although we will consider candidates with fewer years who demonstrate exceptional depth, range, and maturity of judgment)
• Demonstrated ability—and genuine willingness—to learn new practices, move beyond your core expertise, and take on new responsibilities as business needs require
• You think through problems from beginning to end, considering second-order effects, stakeholder perspectives, and practical implementation before offering a recommendation
• You are comfortable operating in ambiguity and can make reasoned decisions (and then own them) when the answer is not obvious, the precedent is thin, or reasonable minds could differ
• You distinguish between risks that matter and risks that don't, and you can articulate why a particular course of action is reasonable even when it is not risk-free
• You manage your work autonomously, driving matters to conclusion with minimal oversight
• You proactively identify issues, surface them early, and propose solutions rather than waiting to be asked
• You are resourceful: when you encounter an unfamiliar area, you research it, consult appropriately, and develop an informed point of view rather than declaring it outside your expertise
• You are willing to deliver difficult messages when needed—to colleagues, leadership, and clients—and can handle difficult conversations with professionalism and composure
• You view your role as helping the business achieve its objectives within appropriate guardrails, and welcome “why” questions from your business partners
• You accept responsibility when things go sideways rather than deflecting to others
• You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills as evidenced by the ability to professionally and effectively interact with clients and co-workers and contribute to a respectful work environment
• You build credibility with business partners by being responsive, practical, and genuinely helpful
• You communicate legal concepts clearly to non-lawyers, translating complexity into actionable guidance
• You are willing to roll up your sleeves and do what needs to be done, regardless of whether it falls neatly within your job description or seems below your skill or experience level
• You perform consistently under pressure and can manage competing priorities without sacrificing quality
• You bring energy and a sense of ownership to your work— you care about outcomes, not just activity
• Candidates must meet all employment qualifications in force at time of hiring, including successful passing of background & credit checks and any pre-employment examinations, signing of all employee agreements, and can perform the essential functions, duties and responsibilities set forth in a consistent and efficient manner.

Nice To Haves

• Strong background in either trust and estate law or commercial litigation strongly preferred; experience in financial services or with regulated entities is a plus

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Client Services team to navigate client concerns and other sensitive relationship issues, providing practical guidance that protects both the client and the firm
• Advise the Compliance team on policy development, regulatory interpretation, and the practical application of investment adviser and trust company regulations
• Counsel department leaders across the organization on contracts, vendor relationships, and commercial disputes, negotiating terms and resolving issues efficiently
• Review trust documents as part of new client diligence to assess whether the company can effectively administer the proposed arrangement; identify and help resolve operational, legal, or fiduciary concerns prior to acceptance
• Evaluate proposed trust amendments, decanting requests, and other modifications to existing trusts, advising on legal implications and administrative feasibility
• Serve as a resource on trust interpretation questions, beneficiary disputes, and fiduciary decision-making
• Manage all aspects of litigation, including coordinating with outside counsel, developing case strategy, overseeing discovery, and advising leadership on risk exposure and settlement considerations
• Respond to subpoenas, regulatory inquiries, and third-party information requests, balancing legal obligations with business impact and client confidentiality
• Handle pre-litigation disputes, demand letters, and escalated client complaints with the ability to guide issues toward early resolution where appropriate
• Develop working knowledge of adjacent legal areas—including employment, insurance, corporate governance, and securities—to provide first-line guidance and triage issues appropriately
• Identify when matters require specialized outside counsel and manage those relationships effectively
• Contribute to the development of internal processes, templates, and training that reduce legal friction and empower business teams to operate confidently

Benefits

• We provide a competitive salary commensurate with your experience and skills and offer an annual bonus based on company and individual performance.
• We offer excellent benefits including medical, dental and vision coverage, generous time off (including sabbaticals), flexible spending plans for health care and dependent care, 401(k) plan, educational reimbursements. For details of all benefits, please visit our website here.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree