Placing People First!

Family Law Associate Attorney

Locations: Plattsburgh, NY

Compensation: $100,000 - $175,000 base salary, including generous monthly performance-based incentives controlled by a billable hour expectation of 30 hours per week, with great healthcare coverage through Bluecross Blueshield, Paid Time Off, and other discretionary compensation.

About the Opportunity:

A seasoned and established Matrimonial and Family Law firm seeks to hire an attorney to sit in their flagship Plattsburgh-area office, serving the greater Upper New York State community as an unbiased and effective mediator, legal counsel, and family law advisor for the firm which is led by a Certified Divorce Specialist® who is known for combining trauma-informed, child-centered counsel with practical problem-solving and decisive courtroom advocacy.

• The practice does not mistake unnecessary conflict for effective representation.
• This is a role for an attorney who wants genuine ownership, as the firm is very busy and requires an attorney ready to take on a full caseload and be involved immediately in litigations, mediations and trials.
• The hired attorney will have the immense benefit of being able to work alongside and learn from some of the best family law attorneys in the state of New York, almost certainly the best in the Greater Adirondack Region.

You will not be just a supporting player here, you will come in immediately into a lead role with this firm:

• You will lead matters, set strategy, and remain accountable for progress on cases that carry real consequences for clients and their children.
• Attorneys who know thrive in litigation, are adept at negotiation and meeting adversary parties at a middle-ground are desired.
• Prior experience in family law and matrimonial matters is helpful, but not required for this opportunity.
• Solely the desire to dedicate a practice to the area of family law will suffice, and one will make great gains to that end if chosen for this opportunity.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out:

• Meaningful ownership. Lead substantive matrimonial and family-law matters and exercise real judgment rather than executing someone else's plan.
• Full-spectrum advocacy. Pursue mediation, collaborative law, and practical settlement where they serve the client—and litigate with focus where they don't.
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration. Work alongside paralegals, financial professionals, mental-health professionals, parenting specialists, and other trusted resources.
• A growing regional platform. Build your practice in an established New York market with a clear client mission and meaningful demand.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities:

• Manage assigned divorce and family-law matters from initial assessment through negotiated resolution, mediation, hearing, or trial.
• Develop case strategy around client goals, governing law, evidence, risk, cost, and long-term family realities.
• Handle divorce, custody, child support, spousal maintenance, equitable distribution, family-offense, and related proceedings, consistent with your experience level.
• Draft persuasive pleadings, motions, discovery, agreements, orders, judgments, and client communications.
• Represent clients in negotiations, mediations, conferences, hearings, and trials with command of the facts and the record.
• Counsel clients candidly and compassionately, including when the right advice is difficult or differs from a client's initial position.

Qualifications:

• Education: Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Licensure: Admission to the New York State Bar and current good standing.
• Experience: At least two years of substantive litigation experience, preferably in a family law or matrimonial practice setting.
• Subject-matter command: Working knowledge of New York matrimonial and family-law statutes, procedure, local rules, and courtroom practice.
• Advocacy skills: Demonstrated legal research, analysis, writing, negotiation, and oral advocacy ability.
• Practice management: Ability to manage a substantive caseload, competing deadlines, clear client communication, and contemporaneous time records.
• Professional judgment: Ethics, discretion, accountability, and respect toward clients, colleagues, and opposing counsel.
• Billable hour expectation: The firm has not published a billable requirement; the typical expectation for this type of role is approximately 1,850 hours annually.
• Application materials: Candidates must be prepared to submit, at minimum, law school transcripts. A writing sample and professional references may be requested later in the process for especially well-aligned candidates.
• Especially valued: Mediation certification, collaborative-law training, or experience in criminal law, domestic violence, child protection, special-victims matters, or other relevant litigation.

Schedule:

The hired Attorney is expected to bill at least 30 hours per month. Doing so, nets a monthly bonus that is tied to their salary.Regionally based in or near the assigned market (Albany or Plattsburgh). Remote-work flexibility may be available when compatible with court, client, and firm responsibilities.

Notice:

This job advertisement shall not constitute as an fully comprehensive accounting of the requirements and duties of this job, nor does this post claim to be property of the law firm client. This advertisement for a career opportunity is the sole property of People Placers Staffing, acting on behalf of the client to source them the best possible talent. Applications are handled confidentially. Our client is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and the needs of the firm, without unlawful discrimination. Reasonable accommodations are available during the application process and employment.