What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate: Trusts & Estates position at White & Case LLP?
Firm Summary
White & Case is an elite global law firm serving leading companies, financial institutions and governments worldwide. Our long history as an international firm means we are perfectly placed to help our clients resolve their most complex legal challenges wherever they may be.
With lawyers operating from more than 47 locations, working in virtually every country of the world, we have invested heavily in building a high-quality full-service practice competing at the top of the market. We are distinguished by our on-the-ground presence in the world's key financial markets and our strengths in handling complex cross-border work.
It's not just about our global network of offices and shared services centers; it's the global interconnectedness of the Firm that our people, and our clients, value most. We work well together across geographic and practice boundaries. It's one of the reasons we attract and retain cross-border work. And why we attract a diverse group of people.
Our lawyers are globally minded, enterprising, collaborative and committed to excellence. Diversity is a core value of our Firm and it has been recognized with numerous awards and top rankings around the world. Our people represent 90 nationalities and speak 80 languages.
Position Summary
White & Case seeks an experienced Trusts and Estates associate to join our Private Wealth & Family Office Practice Group. The ideal candidate has a minimum of two years of in-depth, broad-based experience in estate planning and trust and estate administration.
Candidates will work closely with experienced lawyers who will provide active mentoring and opportunities to assume increasing levels of responsibility and client contact. Candidates must be self-starters who possess the ability to work independently and as part of a team. We require strong academic credentials, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to providing the highest quality client service.
Our Practice Area
We assist high net worth individuals and families worldwide with the accumulation, management, transfer and protection of personal wealth. We advise executors and trustees in all aspects of estate and trust administration, including probate; forced heirship; estate, inheritance and generation-skipping tax; fiduciary income tax; post-mortem tax planning; investment, valuation and liability issues; accountings and related court proceedings. We are also a recognized leader in the fields of trusts and estates and estate litigation, representing many of the world's leading families, family offices, executives, founders and corporate fiduciaries. Your practice will require working alongside colleagues from other practices across the firm, including Tax, Litigation, Intellectual Property, M&A/Corporate and Employment, Compensation & Benefits.
Our primary practice areas are:
Planning
Tax and estate planning for individuals; succession planning for closely held businesses; compensation and retirement planning for executives; immigration and tax planning for multinational families.
Estate and trust administration
We advise executors and trustees in all aspects of estate and trust administration, including probate; forced heirship; estate, inheritance and generation-skipping tax; fiduciary income tax; post-mortem tax planning; investment, valuation and liability issues; accountings and related court proceedings.
Fiduciary litigation
We represent fiduciaries and beneficiaries in will contests and in disputes involving the administration of estates and trusts, including high-stakes, multijurisdictional estate litigation.
Corporate fiduciaries
We advise the trust departments of some of the world's leading financial institutions, including Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and UBS, on administration and regulatory issues, including new product development.
Tax-exempt organizations
We advise on the creation and administration of charitable and other tax-exempt organizations around the world.
Duties and Accountabilities1
- Draft and review wills, trusts, and estate planning documents
- Basic planning including will and trust preparation, providing counsel on avoiding probate, protecting assets from creditors and minimizing tax ramifications when transferring wealth
- Complex wealth transfer techniques including GRATs, CRUTs, sale to IDGTs, and Dynasty Trusts
- Reporting gift and estate tax transactions, including preparation of Forms 709 and 706, valuation of assets, subtrust funding and GST tax issues
- Preparation of receipt and release agreements and fiduciary appointments
- Counseling on tax-effective methods of charitable giving, and establishment and administration of charitable foundations
- Communication with clients
- Assisting with business development strategies and client pitches
Basic Qualifications
- A Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school
- Admitted to the state bar of the jurisdiction where you are sitting (or the ability to become admitted) and in good standing
- 2 years experience of estate planning and trust and estate administration experience, including work on large estates with complicated tax plans; preparation of Federal and State estate tax returns, probate documents and Surrogate's Court related filings
- Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously while working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
- Ability to analyze issues and possess strong research and writing skills
- Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
- Excellent academic credentials, analytical skills and verbal and written communications skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience in a sophisticated law firm
- Knowledge of estate and trust income taxation and estate taxation
Location and Reporting
- This is an associate role in the New York office.
Equal Opportunities
White & Case is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. It is our Firm's policy to recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.
Applicants who are interested in applying for a position and require an accommodation during the process should contact talent.acquisition@whitecase.com.
Benefits at White and Case
White & Case LLP offers a comprehensive suite of benefit programs to all eligible employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability coverage, 401(k) retirement savings, vacation time, and leave programs (including parental leave). Exempt roles are also performance bonus eligible.
The Firm may modify and amend any job description at any time in its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or otherwise modifies the at-will nature of employment.
1The above is only a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.
