Estate Planning Partner

Our client, a well-established probate firm in Southern California is seeking a Partner-level Estate Planning Attorney to launch, lead, and scale the firm’s new Estate Planning division. This is a practice-leadership role, not solely a client-service position. The Division Lead will set the division’s legal and client-service standards; supervise all estate planning work; build and manage the team, workflows, and quality-control systems; partner with the firm’s business departments to develop a scalable operating model; and take an active role in intake, conversion, business development, and referral-source growth.

This Partner can work hybrid remote or 100% remote in California.

Responsibilities

• Launch and lead firm’s Estate Planning division, with responsibility for its legal work, client experience, people, processes, growth strategy, and overall performance.
• Serve as the supervising attorney for all estate planning matters, regardless of origination, and establish standards for legal analysis, drafting, review, execution, funding, documentation, and follow-up.
• Personally lead sophisticated matters involving trusts, wealth transfer, tax-sensitive planning, business succession, asset protection, and complex family or ownership structures.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate attorneys and legal support staff; establish clear roles, capacity expectations, quality controls, and accountability within the division.
• Work with internal teams to document the division’s procedures, forms, templates, decision trees, and training materials
• Partner with internal teams to design standardized, measurable workflows; improve document automation and task templates; and use data and responsible technology to increase consistency, capacity, and efficiency.
• Partner with internal teams to define ideal client profiles, intake criteria, consultation protocols, pricing, engagement terms, and follow-up processes, and remain actively involved in converting qualified prospects into clients.
• Develop the division’s book of business through professional referral relationships, networking, speaking, thought leadership, strategic partnerships, and collaboration with Marketing. The firm will put its full institutional support behind the Division Lead’s professional profile in the legal community, including pursuing speaking opportunities, awards and other recognition, strategic introductions, and high-value networking opportunities.
• Work with accounting and firm leadership to develop and monitor the division’s budget, pricing, revenue, collections, staffing leverage, capacity, matter economics, and profitability.
• Collaborate with firm’s Litigation and Administration divisions on planning and tax issues, cross-referrals, potential disputes, administration considerations, and conflict-sensitive transitions across the client lifecycle.
• Participate in firm’s leadership and goal-setting, including partnership meetings, retreats, and cross-department initiatives.

Billables The position includes a 1,650-hour annual billable expectation, with the final structure subject to agreement based on the anticipated mix of client work, supervision, business development, and division-management responsibilities.

• At least 10 years of substantial estate planning experience.
• Juris Doctor or foreign equivalent.
• Prior partner, practice-group leader, managing attorney, or comparable leadership experience.