Career Opportunities

Associate Attorney (posted 6/25/2020)

Are you a top-notch Trusts and Estates Attorney? Do you want to work at a firm with work-life balance where your work really matters?

We are looking for an attorney with the experience and maturity (3+ years in trusts and estates) to run a full caseload of estate planning and administration matters, and handle all but the most complex matters with minimal supervision.

About Us

Beach Cities Estate Law is a boutique trusts and estates law firm serving the affluent beach communities in the South Bay area of Los Angeles (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula). Our office is centrally located in the business and commercial hub near the Del Amo Mall in Torrance, California.

We seek exceptional people who want to become part of our team. To us the word “team” means we win together and we lose together. Your contributions to reaching our goals include anticipating problems, proposing solutions, and just generally demonstrating that you are ready to join us through thick and thin. Your contributions will be recognized, appreciated, and rewarded. If you are motivated by overcoming challenges and personal, professional, and financial growth, then this could be the right place for you.

Our Values

  • The Highest Standard: Some of our clients have already had their plan built by another attorney, and yet they come to us to fix the mistakes. We strive to get it right for each client the first time, and we drive our team to deliver high quality products, services, and processes without defects.
  • Hire and Develop the Best: We raise the performance bar with each hire. We recognize exceptional talent, and willingly provide our team members with increased responsibility. We take pride in developing our team, and we take seriously our role in coaching others.
  • Earn Trust: We listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. We start with the client and work backwards, while working vigorously to earn and keep client trust.
  • Learn and be Curious: We are never done learning, and everyone here is always looking for ways to improve themselves.

The Job

  • Conduct client meetings and recommend strategies
  • Take responsibility for the progression of a client’s matter from inception through conclusion
  • Represent clients in court and in negotiations with other parties
  • Deliver high-quality, timely work product (estate plans, court petitions, strategy recommendations, etc.)
  • Delegate work to paralegals and legal assistants and monitor/review their work

We’re looking for someone . . .

  • Licensed to practice in law in the state of California.
  • 3+ years of Trusts & Estates law experience; able to spot issues, including income, estate, and property tax planning issues, in recommending strategies, and know where to find the rules to back up that strategy.
  • Incredible verbal and written communication skills; projects confidence and competence when dealing with clients.
  • Sees a “case file” as more than just paper—but as an opportunity to help someone; you have the empathy and compassion to give our clients outstanding representation.
  • Interested in generating new business to help grow our law practice.
  • Precise, detail-oriented, focused—ready to jump into a fast-paced environment.
  • Extremely self-sufficient and dependable, skilled at follow up and organization.
  • Reliable team player—teachable and excited to learn, and able to handle constructive criticism.
  • Comfortable with computers and technology (experience with practice and document management software, specifically, Actionstep and/or NetDocuments is a plus but not required).

Please Note:

Skills and experience are important and valued, but your personality, character, intelligence, and integrity are also extremely important considerations.

High-maintenance, humorless, self-entitled, or self-important individuals will not succeed in our firm and need not apply.

We are growing, and you may be called upon to wear many hats. We need someone who does not think that the occasional need to scan your own documents is “beneath you.”

More Details

This position is more than a job—it’s a career—if you are the right candidate. Your compensation will be dependent on your experience, and you can also look forward to a much more flexible work schedule than you would see at a larger firm. The compensation package includes base salary plus bonus compensation for production, performance, and business origination. We offer a benefits package including health insurance and paid time off. We also pay for continuing legal education, bar dues, and some approved voluntary bar memberships.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, e-mail PDFs of your resume and cover letter to Careers@BeachCitiesEstateLaw.com. In the Subject line, type the word APPLY, followed by your last name in all caps and spelled backwards. In your cover letter, answer the following questions (one paragraph for each question):

  1. What do you enjoy about working in the area of trusts and estates?
  2. What do you find most challenging about this type of work?
  3. Why you think you would be a good fit for our firm?

Thank you for taking the time to read this entire ad; if you decide to apply and follow instructions, we look forward to following up with you.