Trust Counsel

Fiduciary Trust International is a wealth management firm founded in 1931 by families for families, with a singular focus on growing and protecting our clients' wealth through generations. We work closely with individuals, families and foundations to build and manage personalized investment portfolios, and to develop estate plans that extend wealth to future generations. And, we are part of Franklin Templeton, a global investment leader. That means we can combine a personalized experience with access to sophisticated research and investment solutions.

Fiduciary Trust International is hiring an experienced Trust Counsel to join our San Mateo, CA office. Reporting to the Regional Managing Director for Northern California, the Trust Counsel serves as an expert, both internally and externally, on matters related to estate planning, advanced tax planning, and trust and estate administration.

Marketing and Sales

• Active community representation of the firm in the industry and community through thought leadership, speaking engagements, advisory and BOD roles, and attendance in groups such as state, local and national Bar Associations; professional organizations (ACTEC, estate planning councils), networking groups, industry publications and conferences
• Assist and participate in new business meetings in order to articulate value proposition of integrated wealth management in relation to the Trust Counsel offering
• Provide direction on opportunities and stay abreast of competitor offerings and structure; making relevant recommendations to senior management to improve competitive position
• Serve as subject matter expert (SME) in development and presentation of thought leadership on topics related to estate and trust planning, advanced tax planning, trust and estate administration and other areas within the SME's expertise and interest; may include articles, whitepapers, podcasts, webinars, media engagement and other opportunities
• Ongoing entrepreneurial and growth mindset as an upbeat, passionate individual and team contributor
• Act as a leader and SME for specific new projects and initiatives related to new business development and client retention

Wealth Planning

• Acting as a static team member, provides existing and prospective clients with a holistic review of their estate and trust plans, including recommendations on options to best achieve their wealth transfer goals
• Responsible for being client lead for some client relationships, but serves mainly as a static-core partner, leading with proactive advice and guidance as needed as clients' needs and plan structure evolve and change
• Liaise with internal team members and outside professional advisors (attorneys, CPAs, etc.) to gather all relevant information, then develop and implement any changes or additions to the clients' plans
• Identify opportunities and collaborate with market teams and other business leaders to provide clients with breadth of firm's offerings
• Serve as dedicated Wealth Planner for certain client relationships, ensuring ongoing advice and guidance as needed based on regular consultations on the clients' needs and changing circumstances
• Maintain understanding and update team and clients on evolving legal and tax changes, proactively identifying impact and potential changes for existing and prospective clients

Fiduciary Counsel for Trust and Estate Administration

• Provide guidance to designated Trust Officers
• Review openings and closings of trust-related accounts and documents, as appropriate for account acceptance or termination
• Consult with and oversee outside counsel, as necessary
• Address beneficiaries' and remaindermen questions and planning needs ad hoc
• Review exercises of discretion, including principal income and distributions of income
• Participate in department projects, committee meetings and initiatives, as necessary

• JD required
• Additional degree or certification (LLM in Taxation, MBA, CFP, CPWA) preferred
• California Bar admission required
• 10 years experience as trusts and estates attorney in private practice or in-house role
• Working knowledge of generally accepted business procedures, practices and regulations
• In-depth knowledge of transfer tax planning and wealth transfer strategies
• Knowledge of state trust laws, including California, Delaware, New York and other jurisdictions
• Network of other professional advisor relationships to leverage and to collaborate with
• Experience working with entrepreneurs and business owners, preferred
• Knowledge of international estate and tax planning, preferred
• Fluency across financial planning disciplines, including cash-flow planning, insurance and risk management, income tax planning, family governance and education, and investment planning, preferred
• Ability to document all efforts as they reflect the completion of assignments
• Ability to perform multiple tasks in a fast paced, team environment
• Ability to interact with and present to senior management and clients on a regular basis
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to organize and maintain accurate, orderly files and records
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• MS office skills - MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Able to supervise administrative staff

Along with base compensation, other compensation is offered such as a discretionary bonus, 401k plan, health insurance, and other perks. There are several factors taken into consideration in making compensation decisions including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. At Franklin Templeton, we apply a total reward philosophy where all aspects of compensation and benefits are taken into consideration in determining compensation. We expect the salary for this position to range between USD $270k - $311k.

#LI-US

#Hybrid

In addition to the dynamic and professional environment at Franklin Templeton, we strive to ensure that our employees have access to a competitive and valuable set of -the mix of both monetary and non-monetary rewards provided to you in recognition for your time, talents, efforts, and results.

Highlights of our benefits include:

• Three weeks paid time off the first year
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with 85% company match on your pre-tax and/or Roth contributions, up to the IRS limits
• Employee Stock Investment Program
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Purchase of company funds with no sales charge
• Onsite fitness center and recreation center*
• Onsite cafeteria*

*Only applicable at certain locations

We believe that being a good corporate citizen is good business. To us, corporate citizenship means being accountable, serving our clients, being an employer of choice, managing our environmental impact, and . An emphasis on corporate citizenship is embedded in our culture and values, and is an important element of how we achieve success.

We are also committed to your learning and development with resources focused around Experience, Exposure, and Education, to help you achieve your professional development goals.

Franklin Templeton is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity for all applicants and existing employees and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, or gender expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation. We invite you to visit us at to learn more about our company, career opportunities and recruitment process.

Franklin Templeton is committed to fostering a environment. If you believe that you need an accommodation to search for, or apply for, one of our positions please send an email to . In your email, please include the accommodation you are requesting and the job title and job number you are applying for. It may take up to three business days to receive a response to your request. Please note that only requests for accommodations will receive a response.