Estate Planning & Wealth Transfer Associate

Overview

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.

Key responsibilities and qualifications are stated below.

• 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.

• 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.
• CPA or LLM in Taxation is preferred but not required.

• Comprehensive benefit package and competitive salary.
• 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.