Estate Planning Attorney
5 days ago
Little Rock
Estate Planning Attorney Location: Little Rock, Arkansas Firm: Pinnacle Legacy Law Employment Type: Full-Time Compensation: Base Salary of $90,000 - $130,000/year + Substantial Performance Bonuses About Us At Pinnacle Legacy Law, we don't just draft documents—we protect legacies, preserve family harmony, and provide peace of mind during life's most important transitions. Our practice is built on a simple philosophy: estate planning should be personal, accessible, and genuinely focused on what matters most to our clients and their families. We're looking for an attorney who shares our commitment to client-centered service and wants to build meaningful, long-term relationships with the families we serve. The Role We're seeking an experienced Estate Planning Attorney to join our growing practice. This is an opportunity to do work that truly matters—helping families protect what they've built, plan for the future, and ensure their wishes are honored. You'll work directly with clients to design comprehensive estate plans, including revocable living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, advance directives, and sophisticated tax and asset protection strategies. You'll also have the opportunity to handle probate and trust administration matters. This isn't a document mill. You'll have the time and support to build genuine relationships with clients, understand their unique circumstances, and deliver tailored solutions that give them real peace of mind. What You'll Do Client Counseling & Planning • Meet with clients to understand their goals, family dynamics, assets, and concerns, • Design customized estate plans that address tax planning, asset protection, healthcare directives, and family governance, • Explain complex legal concepts in clear, accessible language, • Guide clients through difficult conversations about incapacity, death, and family wealth transfer Document Preparation & Execution • Draft revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and related documents, • Conduct signing ceremonies and ensure proper execution and notarization, • Coordinate trust funding and asset transfers Estate & Trust Administration • Guide clients and families through probate proceedings, • Assist trustees with trust administration, distributions, and compliance, • Work with accountants and financial advisors on estate tax returns and valuations Practice Development • Build long-term client relationships that generate referrals and repeat business, • Stay current on changes in federal and state estate, gift, and tax law, • Contribute to client education through seminars, newsletters, or workshops What We're Looking For Required Qualifications Experience • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school, • Active license to practice law in AR (or the ability to obtain licensure within 90 days), • Minimum 2 years of estate planning experience (trust and estate administration experience a plus). However, if you are a fast learner and interested in estate planning, feel free to apply., • Proven track record drafting trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and related documents Technical Skills • Strong knowledge of estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax law, • Familiarity with trust administration and probate procedures, • Experience with asset protection strategies and business succession planning (preferred), • Comfortable using estate planning software (WealthCounsel, WealthDocx, or similar) Communication & Relationship Skills (Critical) • Exceptional rapport-building abilities — you make clients feel heard, understood, and cared for, • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, • Ability to explain complex legal concepts in plain English, • Empathy and emotional intelligence when dealing with sensitive family matters, • Active listening skills and genuine curiosity about clients' lives and goals, • Confidence in public speaking Personal Attributes • Authentic passion for making a positive difference in clients' lives — this isn't just a job to you, • Client-first mindset and commitment to delivering exceptional service, • Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills, • Collaborative team player who values relationships with colleagues, • Self-starter who takes initiative and ownership of client matters, • Integrity, professionalism, and sound judgment Helpful, But Not Required • Experience with sophisticated estate planning techniques (GRATs, IDGTs, FLPs, dynasty trusts, etc.), • Knowledge of business succession planning and buy-sell agreements, • Familiarity with charitable planning (CLTs, CRTs, private foundations, donor-advised funds), • Prior experience with high-net-worth or business-owner clients, • Membership in estate planning organizations (ACTEC, local estate planning council, etc.), • LLM in Taxation or Estate Planning What We Offer Compensation & Bonuses Base Salary: $90,000 - $130,000/year (commensurate with experience) Performance Bonuses: We reward excellent client service, business development, and contributions to the firm's success. Our bonus structure is transparent and generous—top performers can significantly increase their total compensation. Comprehensive Benefits Package Health & Wellness • Medical, dental, and vision insurance, • Life insurance and long-term disability coverage Financial Security • Continuing legal education (CLE) allowance, • Professional dues and bar association memberships covered, • Malpractice insurance Work-Life Balance • Two weeks paid vacation (increasing with tenure), • Paid sick leave, • Paid holidays, • Flexible work arrangements, hybrid schedule options, etc. Professional Development • Mentorship and training from experienced estate planning attorneys, • Support for pursuing advanced certifications (Board Certification, LLM, etc.), • Attendance at national and regional estate planning conferences, • Access to cutting-edge estate planning resources and research tools Culture & Environment • Collaborative, supportive team environment, • Modern office with up-to-date technology, • Opportunity to handle sophisticated, challenging work, • Clear path for advancement and partnership consideration (if applicable) Why Join Us? Meaningful Work Every estate plan you create protects a family, prevents conflict, and honors someone's life's work. You'll go home each day knowing you made a genuine difference. Client Relationships You'll build long-term relationships with clients and their families, often serving multiple generations. This isn't transactional work—it's relational. Quality Over Quantity We give you the time to do excellent work. You won't be pressured to churn through files or hit arbitrary billable hour targets that compromise quality. Professional Growth Whether you want to become a recognized expert in estate planning, develop niche expertise, or eventually become a partner, we'll support your professional development. Work-Life Integration We believe you can deliver exceptional client service AND have a life outside the office. We respect boundaries and encourage sustainable work habits. Values-Driven Culture We genuinely care about our clients, our community, and each other. If you're looking for a firm where doing the right thing matters more than billing the most hours, you'll fit right in here. How to Apply If you're an experienced estate planning attorney who is passionate about serving clients with excellence and making a real difference in their lives, we'd love to hear from you. Please submit the following to Oliver Cushing - ocushing@pinnaclelegacylaw.com & Stan Miller at smiller@pinnaclelegacylaw.com: • Cover letter — Tell us why estate planning matters to you and what you'd bring to our team (please be genuine; we value authenticity over formal prose), • Resume/CV — Include your estate planning experience, notable matters, and any relevant publications or speaking engagements, • Three professional references — Preferably from estate planning colleagues, supervisors, or clients (permission to contact) Application Deadline: Open until filled Questions? Contact Oliver Cushing at ocushing@pinnaclelegacylaw.com & Stan Miller at smiller@pinnaclelegacylaw.com Equal Opportunity Employer Pinnacle Legacy Law is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Join us in doing work that matters. Apply today.