Managing Partner, Estate Planning – UHNW (West Coast)

For more than 40 years, Mercer Advisors has been helping families amplify and simplify their financial lives by integrating financial planning, investment management, business management, tax, estate, insurance, and more, all managed by a single team. We deliver comprehensive care once reserved for only the wealthiest households, serving over 42,800+ families across 110+ cities in the U.S. Ranked the #1 RIA Firm in the nation by Barron’s for two consecutive years, Mercer Advisors is an independent fiduciary legally bound to act in our clients’ best interests.

Mercer Advisors offers a workplace that stands apart in the financial industry, with more than half of our employees and client-facing professionals being women. With a flexible, national footprint, we build our teams around exceptional talent—wherever they are.

About the role

Regis is Mercer Advisors' multi-family office offering designed for ultra-high net worth (UHNW) families with complex, multi-generational wealth. Regis clients often have the means to build their own family office and require a deeply integrated wealth management experience with the highest level of service, coordination, and sophistication. We are a team of world-class fiduciary professionals delivering integrated advice across investments, financial planning, estate strategy, tax strategy, and more, aiming to make every client feel like our only client.

We are seeking an exceptional Managing Partner, Estate Planning - Regis to lead and grow our UHNW-focused estate planning practice. This senior practice leadership role is responsible for building and directing an elite team of estate planning strategists dedicated to serving our most complex families. You will serve as the firm's highest-level technical authority on estate planning matters, set the standard for planning excellence, and personally engage on the most sophisticated client situations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow the Regis estate planning practice, setting the technical standard, practice philosophy, and quality bar for the team.
• Build, lead, and mentor an elite team of UHNW-focused estate planning strategists, fostering a culture of technical excellence, intellectual curiosity, and continuous development.
• Serve as the firm's senior-most technical authority on estate planning, personally engaging on the most complex and high-stakes client situations.
• Design and implement comprehensive, advanced estate plans for Regis families, incorporating sophisticated wealth transfer strategies tailored to multi-generational, high-complexity balance sheets.
• Partner with senior wealth advisors, tax strategists, and Regis leadership to ensure estate planning strategies are fully integrated within each client's broader financial plan.
• Own and deepen relationships with a select portfolio of Regis families, with balance sheets that often exceed $100M+.
• Collaborate with clients' outside advisors, including independent attorneys, CPAs, trustees, and family office consultants, to ensure cohesive, comprehensive planning outcomes.
• Lead and represent Regis in prospective client development, industry conferences, and thought leadership initiatives to enhance the firm's profile in the UHNW estate planning market.
• Partner with Regis leadership on practice development, talent strategy, and operational improvements that strengthen the estate planning team's capabilities and client outcomes.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school; LL.M. in Taxation or Estate Planning strongly preferred.
• Licensed to practice law in at least one state.
• 20+ years of legal experience in estate planning, with the majority spent advising clients with balance sheets of $50M or greater; significant experience with $100M+ families required.
• Demonstrated track record of building and leading high-performing estate planning teams in a wealth management, family office, or private wealth legal environment.
• Deep technical mastery of federal transfer tax law, trust and estate administration, and advanced wealth transfer planning techniques.
• Proven ability to design and implement sophisticated multi-generational estate plans addressing the full complexity of a UHNW family's balance sheet—across entities, jurisdictions, and family dynamics.
• Experience advising on business succession, liquidity events (IPOs, M&A exits, ESOP transactions), and the estate planning implications of closely held business interests.
• Prior leadership experience at an AmLaw 100/200 firm, nationally recognized estate planning boutique, multi-family office, or equivalent private wealth platform.
• ACTEC Fellowship strongly preferred.
• AV Preeminent® Martindale-Hubbell rating preferred.
• Comfort and credibility operating within a regulated RIA structure and a team-based financial advisory environment.
• Ability to travel up to 20%.

Schedule

This professional role requires availability during standard business hours of Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM. At times, the role may require early or late hours to meet business tasks and deadlines for external and internal client needs. All roles classified as non-exempt are required to record working time into the timekeeping system daily at the start and end of each workday, including a 30-minute unpaid lunch period.

Working Conditions

This position may be in a professional office environment or a dedicated home office workspace free of interruptions. Basic technology needs will be provided to satisfy position requirements. Routinely involves sitting and standing for periods of time. No heavy lifting over 10 lbs.

Pay

Actual base pay within this range will be based on factors including geographic location, relevant experience, education, skills, and licenses/certifications. This position is also eligible for incentive compensation through Mercer Advisors’ incentive programs.

Base Pay Range: $255,000 - $300,000 USD

Benefits

• Company-paid basic life and AD&D insurance.
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Supplemental life, AD&D, short-term disability, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance.
• Three Cigna medical plan offerings, including two High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) and a traditional co-pay medical plan.
• Kaiser medical plans available in California.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contributions if enrolled in either HDHP medical plan.
• Two comprehensive dental plans.
• Vision insurance plan.
• Dependent Care Savings Account for child and dependent care.
• 14 company-paid holidays, including a full week off at Thanksgiving.
• Generous paid time off program for vacation and sick days.
• Employee Assistance Plan.
• Family Medical Leave.
• Paid Parental Leave (8 weeks).
• Maternity benefits utilizing company-paid short-term disability, any supplemental short-term disability, plus Parental Leave (8 weeks).
• Adoption Assistance Reimbursement Program.
• Company-paid concierge services for aging parents, young children, life’s challenges, and more.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with both Traditional and Roth options, per pay period match, and an after-tax option.
• Pet insurance.
• Personalized financial planning and guidance from Mercer Advisors professionals at preferred employee pricing.