Relevant Law is seeking a business succession planning attorney to anchor a critical cross-practice function in our Richmond office. Succession planning sits at the intersection of corporate law, tax planning, estate planning, and human relationships — and this role requires an attorney who can work across all four dimensions simultaneously. You will lead engagements from diagnostic analysis through implementation: evaluating entity structures, operating agreement provisions, valuation methodologies, and stakeholder dynamics before recommending any course of action. The practice operates within an AI-augmented environment where Legal Project Managers and Legal Analysts accelerate research and document production, allowing you to focus on the multi-disciplinary strategic judgment that defines this work.
Responsibilities
Lead succession planning engagements from diagnostic analysis through implementation, evaluating entity structure, ownership arrangements, operating agreements, and stakeholder objectives before recommending any course of action
Develop comprehensive succession plans addressing governance transition, ownership transfer mechanics, financing arrangements, tax optimization, and contingency planning for death, disability, voluntary departure, and involuntary removal
Draft and negotiate buy-sell agreements, ownership transfer documents, and operating agreement amendments — leveraging AI-assisted drafting tools while applying the substantive judgment to anticipate how these instruments perform under stress
Coordinate with business valuators, CPAs, financial advisors, and insurance professionals to ensure succession plans are financially sound and properly funded
Direct AI-augmented research and scenario analysis across tax, governance, and estate planning dimensions — supervising AI-generated models and memoranda to ensure analytical rigor meets the standard these engagements demand
Advise on entity restructuring when existing structures do not support the succession plan — evaluating conversion, recapitalization, or reorganization as prerequisites to transition
Collaborate with the estate planning practice on engagements where business succession and personal wealth transfer planning are inseparable
Requirements
J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
Virginia Bar membership in good standing
5+ years of corporate, transactional, or estate planning experience with demonstrated focus on business transitions, ownership changes, and succession scenarios
Deep understanding of how entity structure (LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, partnership) affects succession options, tax consequences, deal structure, and available transfer mechanisms
Proven ability to evaluate and draft buy-sell agreements, operating agreement amendments, and ownership transfer instruments — selecting the appropriate mechanism based on entity type, stakeholder objectives, and tax position
Working knowledge of business valuation concepts and how valuation methodology affects buy-sell provisions, estate planning, and transition economics
Demonstrated capacity to coordinate across practice areas — managing engagements that require simultaneous attention to corporate governance, tax optimization, estate planning, and family dynamics
Working fluency with AI-assisted legal workflows — comfort leveraging AI tools for document drafting, scenario modeling, and research, with the judgment to critically evaluate AI-generated output for legal accuracy and strategic alignment
What We Offer
Competitive compensation
Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision, and retirement
Collaborative practice environment with cross-disciplinary support
Continuing education and professional development support
AI-augmented practice environment with enterprise technology infrastructure
About Relevant Law
Relevant Law is a legal services brand used by independent law practices in Virginia, Colorado, and Washington. Lawyers provide advisory and transactional counsel to businesses, individuals, and executives. Each engagement has its own scope and fee terms; technology supports, but does not replace, lawyer judgment.