Position: Trusts and Estates Attorney (Senior Associate / Counsel / Partner)
Experience: 8+ years of experience
Location: Chicago, IL
Position Type: Full-time, Permanent
About the Opportunity
A highly respected, full-service law firm is seeking an experienced Trusts and Estates Attorney to join its sophisticated wealth preservation and estate planning practice in Chicago. The firm advises high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and fiduciaries on complex estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, business succession, and trust administration. This role is ideal for a senior-level attorney seeking a collaborative environment with deep institutional resources to support and grow their practice.
Key Responsibilities
Design, draft, and implement sophisticated estate plans, including revocable trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), generation-skipping transfer (GST) trusts, and charitable planning vehicles.
Advise clients on complex federal and state wealth transfer tax implications, including estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
Oversee complex estate and trust administration processes, including the preparation of federal estate tax returns (Form 706) and gift tax returns (Form 709).
Structure sophisticated business succession plans for closely-held and family-owned businesses.
Provide strategic counsel regarding asset protection and international estate planning matters, where applicable.
Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, managing long-term relationships and collaborating with financial advisors, accountants, and corporate fiduciaries.
Qualifications & Skills
Experience: 8 or more years of dedicated trusts and estates planning and administration experience. A portable book of business is welcome but not strictly required.
Education: J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school. An LL.M. in Taxation or Estate Planning is highly preferred.
Licensure: Active member in good standing with the Illinois State Bar (ARDC).
Skills: * Expert knowledge of sophisticated estate planning strategies and evolving tax laws.
Exceptional drafting skills and meticulous attention to detail.
Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to handle sensitive client matters with utmost discretion and empathy.
What the Firm Offers
Competitive base salary commensurate with experience and practice depth.
Origination credit and performance-based bonus structures for business generation.
Comprehensive executive benefits package (medical, dental, vision, 401k).
Strong administrative, paralegal, and cross-marketing support across practice groups.
How to Apply
To explore this opportunity, please submit your resume to Nykki McAdoo at nykki.mcadoo@gogpac.com. All inquiries will be handled with strict confidentiality.
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.
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