Trusts & Estates Associate

Job Description

Curtis is seeking to hire an Associate to join its Trusts & Estates / Private Client practice in New York.

The position offers the opportunity to work on sophisticated domestic and cross-border private client matters for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, family offices, fiduciaries, business owners, executives, foundations, charities, and closely held businesses. The associate will work closely with partners and senior attorneys on estate planning, trust and estate administration, gift and estate tax planning, charitable planning, fiduciary income tax issues, and succession planning.

We are looking for a candidate with meaningful experience in trusts and estates, private client, tax, or related planning work who is interested in developing a broad private wealth practice. The ideal candidate will be intellectually curious, detail-oriented, comfortable working with numbers, and able to manage complex projects in a collaborative, client-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

Advising high-net-worth individuals, multigenerational families, family offices, fiduciaries, and closely held business owners on estate, gift, GST, income tax, and succession planning matters.

Drafting wills, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, health care documents, charitable planning documents, and related estate planning instruments.

Assisting with sophisticated wealth transfer structures, including grantor trusts, non-grantor trusts, ILITs, GRATs, charitable trusts, private foundations, family limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and other planning vehicles.

Supporting domestic and international planning for U.S. and non-U.S. clients.

Advising on trust and estate administration matters, including fiduciary duties, probate and non-probate transfers, post-death tax planning, estate and gift tax return issues, and fiduciary income tax considerations.

Working with family offices, accountants, investment advisors, corporate fiduciaries, local counsel, and other advisors to coordinate integrated planning solutions.

Assisting with planning for closely held business interests, family governance, family charters, private trust companies, and succession arrangements.

Supporting charitable and philanthropic planning, including the formation and administration of charitable entities and other tax-exempt structures.

Conducting legal research and drafting client memoranda, correspondence, planning summaries, and other client-facing materials.

Collaborating with attorneys in tax, corporate, real estate, litigation, and other practice areas to address the broader legal needs of private clients and family offices.

Required Minimum Qualifications

Candidates should be barred in New York and have a bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctorate degree (JD) from an accredited U.S. law school with strong academic credentials. An LL.M. in Taxation or Estate Planning is a plus but not required. 

2-3 years of experience preferred

Salary range: $185,000 - $190,000