Associate Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

WHO WE ARE

At The Legal Hill, we fight for families and their fresh start.

Family law is where we live. Divorce, custody, support, protection orders — we handle some of the most emotionally complex and consequential legal matters a person will ever face. Our clients are not case numbers. They are parents, spouses, and children whose futures depend on the quality of our work.

Our family law team is led by our Managing Attorney — who has dedicated her practice to helping those who cannot advocate for themselves — and is supported by a team of highly skilled paralegals who set the standard for what great family law representation looks like.

We are not a high-volume firm and that is by choice. Cases are vetted and selected based on need and fit. We focus on providing the best representation we can, not high volume.

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THE OPPORTUNITY

We are looking for the right person — not just the right résumé.

We are seeking a dedicated trial attorney with 0-3 years’ experience: Our focus is to find someone with passion, intellect, strong work ethic, and professional character, to take on a case load from inception to trial.

Why we're open to training you: our managing attorney and support staff have decades of combined experience and a desire to train the right person who will fit into the office culture and thrive. If you have the right foundation and a desire to learn, we will invest in building the rest.

What we cannot train is dedication. We cannot teach you to care. We cannot teach you to be accountable. We cannot teach you to show up for a client who is falling apart at 4:45 on a Friday evening. Those things you either have or you don't.

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WHO THIS ROLE IS FOR

You are:

• Relentless on behalf of your clients without losing your humanity in the process
• Hungry to learn and genuinely coachable—you don't know everything and you don't pretend to
• Self-Starter with a desire and drive to learn the law and the practice without the expectation that someone will hold your hand through the process
• Organized and disciplined—family law is deadline-heavy and detail-dependent
• Honest, direct, and accountable — with clients, colleagues, and yourself
• A team player who wants to be part of something excellent, not just employed somewhere
• Not afraid of Hard work – this career is hard. But we operate on a work hard, play hard model. We expect and encourage you to take your vacations – but we also expect you to do the work when you are here.

You understand that family law clients are often in the worst moment of their lives. You meet them with competence and compassion—every time.

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WHO THIS ROLE IS NOT FOR

This is not a fit if you:

• Struggle to separate your emotions from your client's
• Avoid accountability or blame circumstances when outcomes are hard
• Need constant direction and cannot self-manage your caseload or calendar
• Resist supervision, feedback, or firm structure
• Treat clients as transactions rather than people in crisis
• Operate with a "that's not my job" mindset

We hold a high standard here — not to intimidate, but because our clients deserve nothing less. If you're the right fit, the standard will excite you, not scare you.

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Case Management & Legal Practice:

• Manage 15-25 active family law matters—dissolution, custody, support, modifications, and protection orders
• Develop and execute case strategy under the supervision of the Managing Family Law Attorney
• Draft pleadings, motions, declarations, parenting plans, settlement proposals, and discovery
• Appear at hearings, conferences, mediations, trials, and other proceedings
• Conduct legal research on case-specific and emerging family law issues
• Work closely with the paralegal team to produce solid, ethical work product that is compliant with Washington court rules

Client Relationships:

• Serve as the primary attorney contact on all assigned matters
• Respond to all client calls and emails within 24/48 hours
• Provide proactive monthly status updates; more frequently during active litigation
• Document all substantive client interactions in Clio

Operations & Firm Participation:

• Enter all time daily in Clio
• Maintain minimum of 1550 billable hours per year.
• Monitor all deadlines and court dates with 7/5/3-day advance reminders
• Attend weekly team meetings prepared with caseload updates
• Delegate effectively to paralegals; follow all firm SOPs without exception

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QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• Active member in good standing of the Washington State Bar
• Strong legal writing, research, and oral advocacy skills
• Organized and able to manage competing priorities in a high-volume practice
• Compassionate, client-centered approach with demonstrated emotional intelligence
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365; willingness to learn Clio and modern legal tech
• Commitment to ongoing CLE and professional development

Experience:

• New admits / junior attorneys (0–3 years): Welcome with exceptional character, coachability, and drive. Direct mentorship from our managing attorney and our team.

Preferred:

• Washington family law experience (RCW Title 26, court rules, local procedures)
• Moot court and/or trial experience

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COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Salary: $70,000-90,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Total compensation also includes:

• 401(k)
• Paid time off

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BEFORE YOU APPLY

In your cover letter, answer this honestly:

"Family law clients are often at the lowest point of their lives. What does it mean to you to show up for someone in that moment?"

We are not looking for a polished answer. We are looking for an honest one.

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The Legal Hill, PLLC is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

Pay: $70,000 - 90,000 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Work Location: In person, Spokane, WA