Family Law Attorney

Money. Independence. A Strong Team. Sophisticated Work. Life.

We don't think you should have to choose between them.

If you're going to practice family law, you should do it somewhere you're well compensated, trusted to do your job, surrounded by smart people, given interesting work, and still able to have a life outside the office.

That's what we've built at Contreras Law Firm.

We are an established San Diego family law firm looking for another attorney to join our team. We're particularly interested in attorneys with approximately 2–8 years of family law experience, although experience isn't just a number. We care much more about the attorney you've become, the work you're capable of handling, and where you want to go next.

Money.

We believe excellent attorneys should be paid like excellent attorneys.

Base salaries start at $110,000 and increase significantly based on experience, demonstrated ability, level of independence, and responsibility. We don't believe years of practice alone tell you what an attorney is capable of, and we don't compensate that way.

Most of our attorneys also earn approximately $40,000-$80,000+ annually in performance-based bonus compensation, in addition to base salary.

We also believe strong compensation should be achievable without billing as though you're at a BigLaw firm. We understand that life happens, and our compensation structure is designed to reward performance while still allowing attorneys the flexibility to have a life outside of work.

CFLS? That matters here. Certified Family Law Specialists receive additional compensation in recognition of their advanced specialization in family law.

CFLS? That matters here. Certified Family Law Specialists receive additional compensation in recognition of their advanced specialization in family law.

Independence.

If you know how to practice law, we want you to practice law.

We have high standards, but we don't believe high standards require micromanagement.

As you demonstrate your ability to handle matters, you are trusted to exercise your judgment, manage your cases, communicate with your clients, develop strategy, negotiate, litigate, and develop your own style as an attorney.

We hire professionals, and we believe in treating them like professionals.

A Strong Team.

Independence here does not mean practicing on an island.

We believe two heads are often better than one, especially when the facts are complicated, the stakes are high, or there is more than one good way to approach a problem.

Our attorneys strategize together. We challenge each other's thinking. We walk into each other's offices and ask, "What do you think about this?"

Because sometimes another perspective changes the entire case.

We believe that kind of collaboration and strategy is part of what separates a good law firm from an exceptional one.

You will have independence, but you will also have experienced family law attorneys around you when a case deserves more than one set of eyes.

Sophisticated Work.

We handle complex family law matters involving high-asset divorces, complex property and financial issues, cross-border matters, jurisdictional disputes, DVROs, custody and support litigation, Marvin claims, and other issues that intersect with family law.

You'll have direct client contact, appear in court, take and defend discovery, negotiate, participate in mediation, develop case strategy, prepare matters for trial, and take meaningful responsibility for your cases.

We're not interested in keeping capable attorneys on the sidelines.

If you want to become an exceptional family law attorney, you need the opportunity to actually practice family law.

Life.

We take the work seriously. We also recognize that our attorneys have lives outside the office.

We offer unlimited PTO, health insurance, a 401(k), paid onsite parking in downtown San Diego, firm-paid CLE and family law training, incentive compensation for personal referrals, access to an in-house professional coach, and a technology-forward practice that actively incorporates modern legal technology and AI into our work.

We expect excellent work and accountability.

We don't believe that requires treating adults like children or measuring commitment by who stays at the office the latest.

Who Thrives Here

You may be a good fit if you're a family law attorney who takes ownership of your cases, exercises good judgment, cares about the quality of your work, enjoys litigation and strategy, and wants independence without giving up the benefit of having a strong team around you.

You should be admitted to the California Bar and have strong writing, advocacy, and analytical skills. Spanish is a plus, but not required.

Most importantly, you should want to keep getting better at what you do.

Your Current Job May Be Fine.

We're not assuming you're miserable at your current firm.

In fact, some of the attorneys we're most interested in probably aren't actively looking.

But if you've wondered whether there is a firm where you could earn more, do sophisticated work, have more independence, collaborate with strong attorneys, and still have room for a life outside of work, we think it's worth having a conversation.

You don't need to decide whether you want a new job. You only need to decide whether this sounds worth a conversation.

Apply through LinkedIn or contact Salena directly at

All conversations will be kept confidential.