Family Law Attorney Jobs Overview
If you have patience, empathy, and a deep understanding of family dynamics, consider using your legal background as a family lawyer. You'll employ your knowledge of the law to help people navigate difficult personal situations. Family law attorney jobs can include a broad range of tasks such as arranging child support, drafting surrogate agreements, or filing divorce paperwork.
Whatever duties you have, expect to spend a lot of time at work. Most family lawyers work anywhere from 50 to 80 hours a week. It's often a fast-paced job that combines a lot of paperwork, research, and discussions with other people.
In exchange for working longer hours, you get to enjoy a very stable career with many opportunities. Family law attorneys experience a faster-than-average job growth rate of 8%, and this field is one of the most in-demand legal professions.
Salaries for Family Law Attorney Jobs
As a family law attorney, you can earn an impressive salary. The median salary for family lawyers is $121,332 per year. Typically, salaries range from $57,000 to $153,000.
Lawyers tend to earn a higher salary when they work at larger firms. Especially if you're a partner in a prestigious firm, you can expect to have a significantly above-average salary. You can also get wages on the top end of the salary spectrum if you work in a city that has a significant market for family law attorney jobs, such as:
- Los Angeles, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Houston, TX
- Denver, CO
- Seattle, WA
Interested in finding out how much you could earn as a family law attorney? Use the Monster salary calculator to get an estimate.
How to Find the Job That Fits You
For most family law attorneys, the job hunt starts by thinking about what your specialization will be. Consider whether you want to focus on a specific field like adoption, divorce, or estate planning. You should also think about whether you prefer a job with a lot of time spent quietly doing paperwork or arguing cases in court.
As you read each lawyer job description, carefully consider the listed responsibilities. Determine whether these are duties you would enjoy doing, and think about whether your skills and education would help you fulfill the required tasks.
Next, think about the size of the law office and promotion opportunities. Are you interested in working at a smaller firm where becoming a partner is more accessible, or do you prefer working at a big firm with a lot of other attorneys to help with the workload? Read the job listing carefully to see whether the law firm is looking for someone to become a long-term part of their team.
For all family law attorney jobs you find, research the law firms online. Check what types of cases they handle and learn a little about their history. Find out about the other lawyers working there to understand who your colleagues would be.
While researching the job, you'll also need to consider what type of work environment the firm provides. Some lawyers will want a straightforward job where they have a lot of free time outside of business hours. Others might be willing to work all hours at a fast-paced firm to get ahead in the industry.
How To Apply for Family Law Attorney Jobs
Once you find a promising job posting on Monster, start your application. Pay close attention to the job listing because it can provide a lot of insight into what the law firm is looking for. As this attorney resume sample shows, it's a good idea to craft your resume to highlight the skills the role calls for.
Make sure to phrase your resume carefully so that it contains the types of keywords that hiring managers include. Here are some relevant example resume keywords:
- family law
- divorce law
- drafting
- litigating
- custodial
- legal documents
- depositions
Don't forget that our professionals are always available to help you optimize your resume. Monster's Professional Resume Writing Services make it quick and easy to get an excellent family law attorney resume.
Almost all family law attorney jobs require a cover letter with the application. Cover letters are a chance to highlight your communication skills and show that you're professional and persuasive. Check out this lawyer cover letter example to see how to emphasize your legal skills.
After you create your cover letter and resume, finalize your application. Make sure you create a Monster account to take advantage of free resume reviews and job recommendations in addition to easily submitting your application.
How to Follow Up with an Employer
If you don't hear back after sending an application for family law attorney jobs, there's no harm in following up. Even if it doesn't land you an interview, it can provide you with useful feedback on how to improve your resume.
In the legal field, it's considered acceptable to follow up if you haven't heard back within one week. If possible, contact the hiring manager by looking for their details on the listing or the firm website. Alternatively you might be able to reach out to a professional contact.
When you follow up on an application, emphasize why you'd be such a great choice for the position, but keep your message short and straightforward. Remind them of your promising qualities without being intrusive or inconvenient.
Interviewing Tips for Family Law Attorney Jobs
A typical law firm interview consists of in-person meetings that last 30 to 60 minutes. You may speak to one or more people at the office, and you'll spend most of your time answering questions and discussing your background. For bigger law firms, there is a chance that you might need to go through multiple rounds of interviews.
For best results, prepare for your interview ahead of time. Here are some things you can do to increase your chances for success:
- Research the company a little, so you can provide personalized answers when asked why you want to work with the company.
- Choose a conservative, professional-looking outfit such as a suit in dark, neutral colors.
- Look at our common law firm interview questions and make sure you have an answer to them.
- Review the job posting so that you can craft an interview approach that highlights your ability to fulfill the firm's requirements.
On the day of the interview, it's important to keep calm and stay focused. You need to trust that your preparation and expertise will get you through. Here are some other tips to help you do well in your interview:
- Work concrete examples of past successes you've had into your interview answers.
- Always try to sound confident and avoid insecurity markers like fidgeting and not making eye contact.
- Don't forget to highlight soft skills, like your ability to work as part of a team, alongside hard skills like winning a large number of cases.
- While professionalism is important in the legal field, don't be afraid to show a little personality and friendliness.
- Send a thank you email within 24 hours of the interview.
- Follow up with the person who interviewed you if you don't hear back within a week.
What to Do When You Get an Offer
If you do well in your interview, you will potentially get an offer from the law firm. Most firms start by notifying you that they would like to give you an offer. This is a great opportunity to express enthusiasm and state you're interested in looking at the job offer.
Once you get the formal job offer in writing, you can decide whether you want to take the job or turn it down. You usually have a day or two to examine the offer, and negotiation is an accepted part of the hiring process for family law attorney jobs.
To assess a job offer, start by looking at the basics, such as how much the job pays and what the job's responsibilities are. Don't forget to take a close look at benefits too since options like insurance and retirement accounts may compensate for a lower salary. You should also think about your own priorities and choose a job offer that provides the type of networking, promotions, and schedule that you prefer.
As you read the job offer, make a note of any changes you would like. If desired, you can ask the law firm for things like a higher salary or more vacation time. Always do your research ahead of time so that you can politely explain why your skills deserve better compensation.
A round or two of negotiation is common in the law field, and hopefully, you'll end up with a mutually satisfactory agreement. After passing some background checks and dealing with other legal formalities, you can then finalize your offer and start your new career.
Career Paths
The typical career path for a family law attorney involves gradually moving up the ranks from a lawyer to an associate to special counsel, and so on. For many lawyers, the end goal is to become a managing partner who runs their own law firm.
However, there are some other potential career routes to consider as well. Some family law attorneys may use their legal expertise to move to a corporate environment where they can take on positions like legal manager. Others may plan on eventually working as a judge, a law teacher, or some other related position.
Whatever your plans, family law attorney jobs provide great networking opportunities. Advancement in the legal field is often based on who you know, so take the time to build professional connections through mentorships, volunteer work, conferences, and other similar opportunities.
It also pays to brush up on your skills. Some family lawyers may choose to get graduate degrees in related fields like dispute resolution. Others may seek marital and family law certifications from their state's board.
Similar Occupations
If you're interested in family law, here are some other similar professions to check out: