Job Description
Associate Attorney – Trusts, Estates & Tax\n
Location: Santa Barbara, California — Hybrid / In-Office
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Position: Full-Time
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Base Salary: $140,000–$180,000 + Benefits + Performance Incentives
Company Description\n
Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP is a boutique law firm based in Santa Barbara, California, advising families with substantial estates, trustees, and business owners on sophisticated estate planning, tax planning, trust administration, and business succession matters.
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Our practice focuses on helping families thoughtfully preserve, manage, and transfer wealth across generations. We provide highly personalized counsel involving estate structures, tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies, closely held businesses, real estate, fiduciary matters, and multigenerational planning.
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We are committed to sophisticated legal work, exceptional client service, and a collaborative professional environment. Our clients value discretion, responsiveness, technical excellence, and thoughtful long-term counsel.
Role Description\n
Ambrecht & Martinez is seeking an Associate Attorney to join our growing trusts and estates practice in Santa Barbara.
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The Associate will work closely with the firm's partners and senior attorneys on estate planning, trust, tax, and business succession matters. This position offers an attorney the opportunity to develop sophisticated trusts and estates experience while progressively assuming greater responsibility for client relationships and matters.
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Responsibilities include:
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- Assisting with estate planning for families with substantial estates, trustees, and business owners.
- Drafting and reviewing revocable trusts, wills, powers of attorney, advance health care directives, and related estate planning documents.
- Assisting with the preparation and implementation of irrevocable trusts and advanced wealth transfer strategies.
- Researching federal and California estate, gift, generation-skipping transfer, income tax, trust, and probate law.
- Preparing legal memoranda, client correspondence, planning summaries, and other legal documentation.
- Reviewing financial, family, business, and ownership structures in connection with estate and succession planning.
- Participating in client meetings and assisting attorneys in developing and implementing planning strategies.
- Working directly with clients as experience and responsibility increase.
- Coordinating with clients' CPAs, financial advisors, insurance professionals, and other outside advisors.
- Assisting with trust administration and other post-death planning matters where appropriate.
- Maintaining accurate and organized client files and ensuring deadlines and follow-up items are completed.
- Staying current on developments in federal and California estate, trust, probate, and tax law.
- Contributing to the continued improvement of the firm's legal processes and client experience.
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This is a full-time hybrid/in-office position based in Santa Barbara, California. Regular in-office presence is expected to support professional development, client meetings, collaboration with attorneys and staff, and the firm's high-touch approach to client service. Some remote-work flexibility may be available based on experience, performance, client responsibilities, and the needs of the firm.
Qualifications\n
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- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
- Admission in good standing to a U.S. state bar; California admission strongly preferred.
- Approximately 2–5 years of relevant legal experience preferred, although exceptional candidates with less experience and a demonstrated interest in trusts and estates will be considered.
- Experience in estate planning, trusts and estates, tax law, probate, trust administration, or business succession is strongly preferred.
- Strong legal research, analytical, drafting, and writing skills.
- Ability to draft clear, precise, and well-organized legal documents.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality work.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to develop strong client relationships and explain sophisticated legal concepts clearly and professionally.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple matters and deadlines.
- Collaborative approach to working with partners, senior attorneys, professional staff, and clients' outside advisors.
- Interest in developing technical expertise in sophisticated estate and tax planning.
- Comfort using legal practice technology, document management systems, and modern collaboration tools.
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An LL.M. in Taxation, coursework in estate and gift taxation, or meaningful prior trusts and estates experience is valued but not required.
Compensation & Benefits\n
Ambrecht & Martinez offers a competitive compensation package designed to recognize experience, professional development, contribution, and performance.
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Base Salary: $140,000–$180,000 annually, depending on experience, qualifications, and demonstrated trusts and estates capabilities.
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In addition to base compensation, the position includes:
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- Performance-based incentive compensation
- Retirement benefits
- Paid time off and firm holidays
- Professional licensing and continuing education support
- Hybrid-work flexibility
- Additional firm-sponsored benefits
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Our compensation structure provides opportunities for increased total compensation as the Associate develops greater technical expertise, assumes additional client responsibility, and contributes to the overall success of the firm.
Why Ambrecht & Martinez\n
This position offers an attorney the opportunity to build meaningful expertise in sophisticated estate and tax planning within a growing boutique practice.
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Associates work directly with experienced attorneys and gain exposure to complex estate plans, substantial family wealth, closely held businesses, real estate holdings, trust administration, tax planning, and multigenerational wealth transfer strategies.
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As experience develops, the Associate will have the opportunity to assume increasing responsibility for client matters and relationships and develop toward a senior attorney role within the firm.
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We are looking for an attorney who is intellectually curious, detail-oriented, committed to exceptional client service, and interested in developing a long-term career in trusts, estates, and tax planning.