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About the Role

This is a highly visible, client-facing leadership role designed for a seasoned estate planning attorney who thrives at the intersection of legal strategy, wealth planning, and relationship management. As Executive Director, you will serve as a senior subject matter expert and strategic partner to financial advisors working with HNW and UHNW clients. You will lead complex estate planning engagements, shape advanced wealth transfer strategies, and help advisors differentiate their practices in competitive markets like New York and Los Angeles.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and delivery of sophisticated estate plans for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and multigenerational families
Advise on complex wealth transfer strategies, including GRATs, SLATs, IDGTs, charitable structures, and family governance frameworks
Partner with advisors to position estate planning as a central driver of client acquisition and retention
Translate technical legal concepts into actionable strategies for clients and advisors
Serve as a trusted advisor to Hightower’s financial advisors and their clients
Participate in client meetings to present strategies and reinforce planning value
Support business development efforts by enhancing advisors’ ability to win new relationships
Collaborate with external attorneys, accountants, and trustees as part of the client’s broader advisory ecosystem
Develop and deliver high-impact educational content for advisors and clients across multiple formats (presentations, webinars, whitepapers)
Stay at the forefront of estate, tax, and wealth planning developments, particularly those impacting high-tax jurisdictions like NY and CA
Contribute to Hightower’s brand as a leader in advanced planning capabilities
Ensure all planning strategies meet the highest standards of technical accuracy, compliance, and fiduciary responsibility
Establish and maintain best practices across planning deliverables
Partner with internal legal and compliance teams to align on evolving regulatory requirements
Work closely with multidisciplinary teams across estate, tax, investment, and business advisory functions
Foster a culture of collaboration, intellectual rigor, and continuous improvement

Requirements

12+ years of experience in estate planning, financial planning, and wealth management with a focus on high-net-worth clients and prospects.
Deep technical expertise in federal and state estate, gift, and income tax planning
Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to achieve results.
Extensive experience driving successful outcomes in advisor and client interactions
Background in a law firm, private client practice, or family office preferred
Expertise in advising clients in high-tax jurisdictions, cross-border planning, closely held business succession, and philanthropic structuring.
You are a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or possess other unrestricted U.S. work authorization and will not require sponsorship for U.S. work authorization now or anytime in the future.

Skills

Estate Planning
Financial Planning
Wealth Management
Legal Strategy
Relationship Management
Advanced Wealth Transfer Strategies
GRATs
SLATs
IDGTs
Charitable Structures
Family Governance Frameworks
Client Acquisition
Client Retention
Business Development
Federal Estate Tax Planning
State Estate Tax Planning
Gift Tax Planning
Income Tax Planning
High-Tax Jurisdictions Planning
Cross-Border Planning
Closely Held Business Succession
Philanthropic Structuring

Location

Chicago

Work Type

In-office Monday through Thursday and work from home on Fridays

Experience Level

12+ years of experience

Education Level

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, or a related field
Juris Doctor or Master’s degree in a related field required.

Salary/Compensations

Base salary of $225,000- $250,000, plus annual bonus opportunity up to 25%

Benefits

Coverage on the first day of employment for medical, dental, and vision insurance
Paid parental leave (16 weeks for primary caregiver and 8 weeks for secondary caregiver)
Mother’s lounge onsite
Flexible PTO plan
401k matching plan
HSA employer contributions
Student loan assistance
Pet insurance

About the Company

Founded in 2008, Hightower is a wealth management firm that provides investment, financial and retirement planning services to individuals, foundations and family offices, as well as 401(k) consulting and cash management services to corporations.
Hightower’s capital solutions, operational support services, size and scale empower its vibrant community of independent-minded wealth advisors to grow their businesses and help their clients achieve their financial vision.
Based in Chicago with advisors across the U.S., we operate as a registered investment advisor (RIA).
Hightower’s Wealth Solutions team empowers advisors to do more for their clients by delivering specialized estate and financial planning, tax, trust, business, and investment services.
The Wealth Solutions team partners with advisors as an extension of their team to differentiate their value to prospective clients and deepen their client relationships.

Equal Opportunity

Hightower is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, citizenship, veteran status, ancestry, age (over 40), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related), gender identity or expression, genetic information including sickle cell or hemoglobin C trait, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local law.