Director, Estate Planning

Location: San Francisco, California

Availability: Full-time position. Hybrid schedule, with a minimum of 2 days/week on-site at your local LNW office and up to 3 days/week remote.

Executive Summary: We are seeking a full-time Director, Estate Planning, to join our team. The Director of Estate Planning provides expert estate planning guidance to client service teams, plays a thought leadership role in the wealth transfer space, represents the firm in business development and external relationship efforts, and plays a key role in advancing and strengthening the firm’s overall Wealth Planning capabilities.

Your Role and Responsibilities                                                                  

Leadership 

• Ability to integrate a significant amount of detailed and complex information from the client's situation and the current estate and income tax environment into a plan

Client Service Responsibilities 

• Work with Wealth Management teams to help clients with estate-planning issues 


• Review client's current estate planning documents and prepare a flowchart or other summary documentation to communicate current plan in a clear and concise format 


• Engage in a discovery dialogue with clients to ensure their current plan is consistent with their intent, and if not, to recommend changes 


• Strategize ways to achieve client's philanthropic and intergenerational wealth transfer goals 


• Assist clients, in partnership with their estate attorney, with the implementation of their estate plan          


• Help LNW team assist surviving clients with their financial affairs after the death of a family member, in conjunction with the client's estate planning attorney, as appropriate


• Communicate with Client Services colleagues and clients to address client questions in a timely manner 


• Prepare error-free client materials 


• Desire to make things understandable and seamless for the client 


• Work with clients’ outside estate planning counsel and outside accountants on behalf of the client 


• Strive to make clients highly satisfied with your interactions and service

Business Development Responsibilities 

• Build and maintain deep relationships with outside estate planning practitioners to ensure we have a strong referral network for current and prospective clients who are seeking new legal counsel 


• Cultivate relationships with estate planning attorneys and other centers of influence   


• Meet prospects to evaluate, discuss, and recommend basic and complex estate planning strategies 


• Participate in prospective client meetings, as needed and appropriate

 Education Responsibilities

• Educate the firm's client-facing professionals on trust and estate planning concepts through internal updates and exposure to appropriate outside resources 


• Lead the Estate Planning efforts within the Wealth Planning committee 


• Stay current on any changes in legislation, trends in the wealth transfer space, and disseminate updates to Client Services team, as appropriate 


• Understand and utilize appropriate technology offerings within the wealth and estate planning space 


• Assist in the preparation of white papers on Estate/Financial Planning topics 


• Lead and/or participate in other firm-wide projects related to various wealth planning topics 


• Proactively look for improvement opportunities and enhancements in such items as client materials (with regard to estate planning and wealth planning)

Personal / Personnel-Related Responsibilities 

• Provide mentoring, support and training to various team members to aid in the development of their career 


• Execute individual development plan; continue to learn and grow, using new skills to drive LNW forward

This is a high-level overview of the role’s duties, which may increase and vary based on business needs.

Experience and Education

• J.D. required and L.L.M. in Taxation an added plus


• 7-12 years of relevant experience 


• A demonstrated knowledge of financial planning topics to include estate planning, income taxation, executive compensation, insurance and retirement planning 


• Working knowledge of income and transfer tax landscape


• A strong understanding of the RIA business

Skills and Attributes  

• High EQ


• A strong work ethic and a team player


• Desire and ability to work within a collaborative team environment


• The ability to complete/manage projects that include multiple tasks 


• A self-starter with a desire to own projects and outcomes 


• Ability to integrate detailed voluminous information into a direct, concise communication while accommodating the subtleties of income and estate tax planning


• Willingness and ability to balance additional support from technology, where appropriate

Candidates must meet all relevant employment qualifications at time of hiring, including (1) passing the background and credit checks successfully, along with any pre-employment exams; (2) signing all employee agreements; and (3) having the ability to consistently and effectively perform the job’s essential functions, duties, and responsibilities.

Compensation and Benefits

We provide a competitive salary commensurate with your experience and skills and offer a meaningful annual bonus based on company and individual performance. The full salary range for this San Francisco-based position is $240,000 to $270,000 (i.e., reporting to San Francisco as your home LNW office at least 2 days per week).

The salary range applies to current posting and may change in the future. The posted salary range may vary for key factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related knowledge, experience, skill set, and geographic location.

We offer excellent benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage; generous time off (including a sabbatical program after 10 years); flexible spending plans for health care, transportation, and dependent care; 401(k) plan, educational reimbursements, and more. Detailed information can be found by clicking the “Download Benefits Summary” button on our Careers page.

About Us

For more than five decades, Laird Norton Wetherby (LNW) has served the interests of exceptional families and individuals. As both an RIA and trust company, LNW offers a full spectrum of specialized wealth and legacy planning, investment management, and trust and estate services that advance the aspirations and long-term multigenerational financial ambitions of its clients. LNW has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, as well as an affiliate trust company in South Dakota, empowering clients across the U.S.  

LNW is majority owned by Laird Norton Company, one of the longest-sustained family enterprises in the United States, with co-ownership by LNW employees.

Additional Information  

Our firm aims to cultivate an inclusive environment and culture that fosters growth, collaboration and acceptance; where we celebrate the diverse voices and perspectives of our employees; and where employees feel empowered to bring their full, authentic selves. Our diversity drives us forward and helps us build deeper relationships with our clients and our community.  

The firm is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination against employees, applicants for employment, individuals providing services in the workplace pursuant to a contract, unpaid interns and volunteers based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, marital status, registered domestic partner status, military and veteran status, civil air patrol status, national origin, immigration status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, and including medical conditions related to lactation) or medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics). 

*As of August 2026

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