Estates AttorneyAbout the RoleThe Estates Attorney is responsible for overseeing all estate-related legal and administrative matters necessary to advance the firm's personal injury, wrongful death, asbestos, and settlement cases involving deceased clients, claimants, beneficiaries, or distributees. This position handles matters converting from toxic tort personal injury to wrongful death and combines substantive legal work with department leadership, staff supervision, operational management, client and family communication, coordination with outside counsel, and the development and oversight of departmental procedures and workflows.
You Will:Estate Assessment & Case Management- Manage estate-related matters following the death of clients, claimants, beneficiaries, or distributees to assess impact on pending cases.
- Analyze estate requirements affecting litigation, settlements, substitutions, releases, wrongful death claims, and distributions.
- Coordinate with families, fiduciaries, and interested parties to support estate administration and case progression.
- Resolve estate-related legal, procedural, and administrative issues to advance litigation and settlement matters.
- Maintain accurate estate documentation, action plans, and case updates in SmartAdvocate and other systems.
- Collaborate with attorneys, leadership, and departments by providing updates, guidance, and recommendations on estate matters.
New York Estate Proceedings- Draft, review, and oversee Surrogate's Court petitions and supporting documentation, including:
- Fiduciary oaths and designations
- Waivers and consents
- Renunciations
- Affidavits
- Family tree submissions
- Citations
- Proposed decrees
- Attend Surrogate's Court appearances throughout New York State.
- Monitor estate proceedings through the issuance of letters and entry of final decrees.
Wrongful Death & Court Approval Proceedings- Determine whether court approval is required for settlements involving personal injury, survival, wrongful death, or mixed claims.
- Prepare and review wrongful death compromise petitions.
- Analyze proposed allocations between survival and wrongful death proceeds.
- Coordinate with key stakeholders to obtain information required for court approval.
- Monitor proceedings through completion and attend related court appearances.
Multi-Jurisdictional Estate Matters- Evaluate estate matters involving decedents domiciled outside New York.
- Conduct legal research on probate, estate administration, wrongful death, survival actions, fiduciary appointments, and jurisdiction-specific requirements.
- Identify and manage relationships with outside estate counsel based on jurisdiction, expertise, responsiveness, cost, and case needs.
- Serve as the primary point of contact between outside counsel, decedent families, and internal litigation teams.
- Monitor referred matters, track progress, and follow up on outstanding requirements to support timely resolution.
- Review estate counsel recommendations and strategies to ensure alignment with firm litigation and settlement objectives.
Legal & Cross-Functional Collaboration- Serve as the firm's primary internal resource on estate-related legal issues affecting litigation, settlement authority, fiduciary capacity, court approval, and distributions.
- Advise attorneys and case teams regarding estate requirements and procedural strategies.
- Participate in conferences involving complex, high-priority, or delayed estate matters.
- Coordinate estate-related activities with Litigation, Releases, Accounting, Liens, Medicare, structured settlement professionals, and firm leadership.
Department Leadership & Staff Management- Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Estates Department.
- Directly supervise, mentor, and provide support to Estates Department legal assistants and support personnel.
- Establish assignments, priorities, deadlines, performance expectations, documentation standards, and escalation procedures.
You Have:- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
- 3+ years' experience as an Estate Attorney.
- Licensed and in good standing to practice law in New York.
- Experience handling Surrogate's Court proceedings, probate, estate administration, wrongful death matters, and fiduciary appointments.
- Strong knowledge of personal injury and wrongful death litigation processes.
- Demonstrated leadership and project management experience.
- Exceptional legal drafting, organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and meeting deadlines.
- Proficiency with SmartAdvocate and Microsoft Office applications preferred.
Our Benefits:- Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Plans
- Paid Time Off
- Commuter Transit Program
- Retirement Plan
Salary Range: $150,000-$165,000 per year
The quoted salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what our ideal candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on the selected candidate's experience, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process. It is not a guaranteed minimum/maximum.
Job Type: Full-time
$150,000 - $165,000 a year
