Description:
Do you want to help clients plan for the second half of their lives? We are a law firm in Vancouver, WA, with three (3) attorneys and a dedicated team of support staff. We are an estate planning and elder law firm. It's what we do, and we do it well. We are looking for an Associate who can hit the ground running, taking ownership of their work and driving cases forward, from beginning to end. We are especially looking for candidates who have experience in the area of trust administration and probate, but we are willing to train the right candidate.Responsibilities:
- Able to support the partners by handling your own casework as assigned and supervised
- Educate prospective clients
- Meet with clients to determine their needs
- Design custom estate plans
- Handle probate and guardianship matters
- Assist with Medicaid applications
Qualifications:
- J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
- A current Oregon or Washington license to practice in good standing
- At least three years of practicing law
- Experience in the area of trust administration and probate, a plus
- Excellent communication (written and verbal) and research skills are a must
- Dress professionally in business attire
- Able to lift 25 pounds from floor to overhead
- Possess a valid driver's license and have driving insurance coverage
- You must be a positive person. If you see the glass half full, you are the type of person we are looking for
- You must be computer literate and open to learning new things that will make your job easier
- You must be proficient in working with word processing software, electronic calendars, email, document storage systems, conducting electronic legal research, and basic case management
- You must not only “follow” policies and procedures, but you must also embrace them and be thankful they exist
- You must be able to change gears quickly, think on your feet, and make smart decisions
- You must be detail-oriented and willing to go the extra mile to get the job done right the first time. In our practice getting it done right the first time for clients is very important, and we need everyone to work with this goal in mind
- You must, must, must have emotional intelligence and empathy. You must see client communication and care as a privilege and not an inconvenience, and you must be able to communicate easily with all types of people. At times, we deal with people who are emotional or not at their best. We often deal with seniors, so please take that into consideration
- You must be a team player. You will be working with our staff and both you and our staff are accountable to each other. We are strong believers in the team approach and our office is a team environment
- You must be able to talk to people in a manner that is polite and puts them at ease
- You must not be a person who gets angry quickly or blows your stack if someone says something you don't like
- You need to have compassion when dealing with clients
- You do not think making coffee, scanning or copying is "beneath you."
