Trust, Estate, and Inheritance Disputes Associate

Trust, Estate, and Inheritance Dispute (TEID) Overview

Withers is top ranked for trust and succession disputes, with the world's largest team of inheritance lawyers dedicated to them. Noted for ‘outstanding professionalism and advice’ in Chambers and Partners’ High Net Worth guide. The team is supportive and completely committed to their clients and put their best interests at the heart of what they do, offering pragmatic advice to suit every client's needs. The team undertakes work including but not limited to advising on all types of trust and probate disputes, removal of executors and trustees, contentious trust and estate administrations, construction and rectification of wills and trusts, variations of trust by court application, stress testing wills and trust structures, fiduciary negligence, charities, and other probate court matters.  The team excels at resolving private wealth disputes, including taking matters to trial or through appeal, and are creative, collaborative, and hard working.

The Role

This role can sit in Los Angeles or San Diego.

Withers is seeking a highly motivated associate to join its Trust, Estate, and Inheritance Dispute (TEID) team.  This role is ideal for a self-starter with strong academic credentials and a solid litigation foundation who is eager to build a career in trust and estate litigation.  The successful candidate will develop technical expertise while supporting sophisticated matters for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients across California.

• Responsibilities will include range of trust, estate, and inheritance litigation matters for high-net-worth individuals, families, charities, and corporate trustees.
• Matters include will and trust contests, accounting disputes, breach of duty actions, elder abuse and conservatorship disputes, document interpretation matters, and other contested probate and fiduciary-related matters.
• All aspects of trust and probate disputes work, including initial case review and strategy, liaising with the client and counsel and other team members, drafting correspondence, preparing for and attending hearings, trials, and mediations.
• The role may also include contentious trust administration, non-contentious probate court filings, and non-probate litigation related to the holdings of our successful families or family offices.
• The role will also involve contributing to the team's profile and undertaking business development activities for example writing articles/posts, attending events/conferences and building networks with private wealth contacts/intermediaries including peer firms and counsel.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive.  It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for the performance of this job, and as such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Key Skills and Experience

• Between 2 – 4 years of directly applicable litigation experience, including researching, drafting, and discovery is required;
• Experience in probate court and/or working on matters in involving estate, trust, accounting, or wealth planning issues is preferred;
• Admitted to and in good standing with the California Bar;
• Able to work as an integrated member of the TEID and private client teams, with a strong commitment to collaboration and client service;
• Able to participate in client meetings and interface with clients;
• Able to participate in development of case strategy;
• Willing to work on urgent matters or trials that may occasionally involve evening or weekend work;
• Willing to work in the office three days a week and as needed for client service, but also adept at working remotely with team members in other offices;
• Willing to commit to a five-star firm culture that values client service, striving for better, teamwork, accountability, and respect; and
• Play an active role in client and business development initiatives both internally and externally.

For California, the expected salary range for this position is between $185,000 – $230,000.  The actual compensation will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law.

About Withers

A law firm focused on people, performance, and collaboration.

For the past 130 years, we have supported some of the world’s most remarkable people and organizations at defining moments in their lives.

We are united in our commitment to integrity, quality and collaboration. We have a culture of high performance and deliver excellent service consistently across the firm. We provide tailored solutions built on trust and partner with our clients to achieve their goals.

Many of our clients are shaping the future and creating solutions to tackle many of the world’s problems. It makes for a fascinating and challenging practice.

Our role is to get to know each individual client, find out where they want to be, and help them to get there – whether they are building a business, buying a home or protecting and defending their interests.

To meet their unique needs we are exceptionally collaborative, working together across teams and time zones. And we are agile – focusing on strategy rather than rigid ideas and traditional hierarchy.

Join us to be part of a team that is always looking to the future. Where initiative, big ideas and bold moves are always encouraged. Where you can truly be yourself. 

For more information on Withers, please visit the following links: General Career Site, LinkedIn, About Us 

Private Client and Tax Division

Today, we are the only truly global law firm dedicated to the personal and private capital needs of high-net-worth individuals and families.

Many of our clients are international families with interests in a number of locations. In a fast-moving and increasingly compliance focused world, the need for integrated advice that reaches across borders has never been greater. With offices across Europe, the United States and Asia-Pacific we provide coverage that other law firms in this area cannot match. Our team of experienced private client solicitors continually look for opportunities to ensure we have a strong presence in the locations where our clients live, work and invest.

Our advice to fiduciaries covers the design and implementation of new plans, as well as the modernization and consolidation of older trusts. We also assist them in complying with the complex rules surrounding investments, accounting, taxes, and compliance.

This practice generates approximately 55% of the partnership's revenues and is the largest in the world with over 300 people. We advise on domestic and international tax, estate planning, succession and mental capacity laws in Europe, the US and Asia, as well as facilitating our client's philanthropic endeavors. We have immigration teams in the major financial centers and are well placed to deal with tax investigation and litigation cases. Real estate is very important to our clients, and we have a specialist residential and rural team.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement

The firm is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.  Equal employment opportunity has been and will continue to be a fundamental principle at the firm. Employment at the firm is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  The firm prohibits and will not tolerate any discrimination or harassment on the basis of any of these classifications or characteristics.

If you are interested in applying for employment and need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website to apply for a position, please contact the firm at (203) 789-1320 or email us.recruiting@withersworldwide.com with your request.  Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis.