Trust & Estates Attorney – Growth Track to Partnership

Golden Oaks Law Group is hiring a Trust and Estates Attorney to own a probate court caseload in Upland, CA. This role manages trust administration, probate, conservatorship, disability trust administration, and trust litigation matters — primarily representing fiduciaries. You will carry real autonomy: your own cases, your own client relationships, your own paralegal team, and a defined path to partnership.

We are a growing California firm with nearly 30 years of T&E experience. We don't need someone to fill a seat. We need an attorney who wants to build a practice within a practice — with the systems, support, and mentorship to do it right.

About the Role

This is not a drafting-only position. You will manage cases from intake to resolution, develop legal strategy, supervise your paralegal team, appear in probate court, prepare for hearings and trials, and serve as the primary client contact on your matters. Your caseload will include both routine uncontested administration and contested litigation.

What You'll Do:

Uncontested Probate, Trust Administration & Conservatorship

• Prepare and file Petitions for Probate, Letters of Administration, inventories, creditor notices, accountings, and distribution petitions
• Advise trustees on fiduciary duties, trust interpretation, and Probate Code compliance
• Prepare beneficiary notifications, trust accountings, and coordinate asset transfers and distributions
• Draft Heggstad petitions, petitions for instructions, and Probate Code §17200 petitions
• File conservatorship petitions, court investigator reports, care plans, annual accountings, and petitions for authority
• Administer disability trusts (first-party, third-party, pooled) with Medi-Cal/SSI compliance
• Coordinate with appraisers, financial institutions, title companies, and other professionals

Contested Matters & Litigation

• Handle contested conservatorships, trust/will contests, fiduciary duty claims, and elder abuse litigation
• Manage all phases of discovery: interrogatories, depositions, requests for production
• Prepare motions, points and authorities, declarations, and trial briefs
• Attend mediations, settlement conferences, contested hearings, and trials

Client Relations, Supervision & Business Development

• Meet with clients, manage expectations, and provide proactive status updates
• Advise fiduciaries and beneficiaries on disputes and probate case types
• Supervise paralegals and junior attorneys on case preparation and filings
• Originate new client matters through networking and referral relationships
• Uphold Golden Oaks' core values (I-PEACE) and the California Rules of Professional Conduct

How We Measure Success

• 35 billable hours per week (~1,800 annually)
• Full case ownership from intake to resolution without routine supervision
• High-quality work product with minimal revision requests
• 95% client issues resolved without escalation to Managing Partner
• Regular structured reporting on case status and team productivity
• 4 new case originations per month
• 10 hours/year continuing professional development in T&E law

What We're Looking For:

Required

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• Active California State Bar membership in good standing
• 3 years of trust and estates experience, including probate court appearances
• Experience with trust administration, probate, conservatorship, and/or trust litigation
• Strong legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills
• Ability to independently manage a full caseload
• Comfortable with legal technology and case management systems

Preferred

• Fiduciary-side representation experience (trustees, administrators, conservators)
• Disability trust administration and Medi-Cal/SSI compliance knowledge
• Existing book of business or demonstrated BD ability
• Experience supervising paralegals or junior attorneys
• CSBL Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (or in progress)

Probably Not a Fit If…

• You need detailed instructions for every task — this role requires daily independent judgment
• 35 billable hours/week feels uncomfortable — it's the baseline, not the ceiling
• You avoid client-facing work — client management is core, not occasional
• You want a purely transactional role — court appearances and hearings are central
• You're not interested in business development — case origination is part of the partnership path

Compensation & Benefits:

• $140,000 – $190,000 base salary (based on experience and book of business)
• Performance bonuses for production and case origination
• Partnership track after 3–5 years of successful performance
• Health insurance (employer contributes), life insurance
• 12 paid holidays, PTO accruing by tenure, paid sick leave
• Continuing education and tuition assistance
• Mentorship from partners with nearly 30 years of T&E experience

About Golden Oaks Law Group:

Golden Oaks Law Group, LLP is a California-based trust and estate law firm serving families and business owners across Southern California and statewide. The firm was re-established in 2023 by Partner Suzanne M. Graves and Managing Partner Kyle R. Graves, building on nearly three decades of T&E practice.

The court cases practice primarily represents fiduciaries — administrators, trustees, and conservators — in probate court. The firm also provides proactive estate planning, business succession planning, and post-mortem administration services.

Core Values (I-PEACE): Integrity, People First, Excellence in Action, Always Improving, Client Experience, Efficiency with Grace.

How to Apply:

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