Associate Attorney

Associate Attorney

NY Wills & Estates, a New York and New Jersey wills & estates firm, is seeking a detail-oriented, client-focused Associate Attorney to step in. This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly professional, supportive team and work closely with Managing Attorney Vlad Portnoy, Esq. in a hybrid role (some days in our NYC office, other days from home).

New York offices: 450 7th Ave., Ste. 1500, New York, NY 10123

New Jersey offices: 15 Warren St, Ste 36, Hackensack, NJ 07601

What You’ll Do

Your responsibilities will include:

• Meeting and consulting with clients
• Drafting petitions, motions, and estate-planning documents
• Keeping clients informed and responding to inquiries promptly
• Appearing in court as needed
• Coordinating with the managing attorney on strategy
• Managing deadlines, communications, and files in Clio Manage
• Performing legal research
• Participating in weekly and monthly case reviews and team meetings

Tools & Platforms You’ll Use

Clio Manage, WealthCounsel, Lexis (templates + research), MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, Google Calendar, Zoom, MS Teams, ACRIS, Vonage Business Communications, and NYSBA community forums.

Work Structure

This is a hybrid role. Some days in our New York office, other days working remotely. We value flexibility while maintaining the highest level of client service.

Compensation:

• Base pay: $65-70/hr
• Temp-to-perm (90-day probationary period)
• Hybrid Work Structure (3 days in-office, 2 remote)

$65 - $70 hourly

You will manage all aspects of active matters in:

• New York & New Jersey Surrogate’s Courts – Probate, Administration, fiduciary support
• Article 81 Guardianship Proceedings – drafting petitions, communicating with parties, Mental Hygiene Court appearances
• Estate Planning – assisting with Trusts, Wills, POAs, Healthcare Proxies
• Real Property Transfers – preparing deeds and NYS transfer forms using ACRIS

You will support and manage matters across five core practice areas:

Surrogate’s Court

• Probate and Administration
• Fiduciary support
• Client updates and filings

Estate Planning

• Draft Wills, Trusts, POAs, and Health Care Proxies
• Assist with client consultations and strategy

Medicaid Planning

• Prepare planning documents
• Assist clients with eligibility strategy

Special Needs Planning

• Draft and support Special Needs Trusts

Guardianships (Including Article 81)

• Draft petitions
• Coordinate with involved parties
• Appear in Mental Hygiene Court when required

Additional Responsibilities

• Meet and consult directly with clients
• Draft petitions, motions, and estate-planning documents
• Prepare deeds and NYS transfer forms using ACRIS
• Manage deadlines, files, and communication in Clio Manage
• Conduct legal research
• Participate in weekly and monthly case reviews and team meetings

• Licensed in New York or New Jersey
• 3–5 years of experience in Probates, Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning, Special Needs Planning, and Guardianships (incl. Article 81)
• Litigation experience is a plus
• Experienced in estate planning and/or Surrogate’s Court matters
• Organized, proactive, responsive, and comfortable handling clients directly
• Able to manage a varied caseload with professionalism and empathy

At NY Wills & Estates, we are dedicated to helping clients plan for the future by offering expert legal services tailored to their individual needs. Our mission is to make estate planning accessible and easy to understand, ensuring clients have peace of mind knowing their families and assets are protected. We pride ourselves on integrity, exceptional client service, and a commitment to professional excellence. If you want to be part of a reputable firm with a strong client-centric approach, we’d love to have you on our team.