We are seeking a Senior Tax and Estate Planning Attorney with 7+ 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.
- 5-7+ 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).
- Willingness to grow within an established client platform.
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.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations.
GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.
