Family Law Associate

Withers’ global Family Law team has been independently rated as a market leader in Tier 1 categories of Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 for many years. The department advises on all areas of family law, with a particular focus on the financial issues that arise when relationships are formalised or break down. Much of the work involves the negotiation and settlement of complex financial cases, often with an international perspective and further complicated by tax or trust issues. The team is supported by in-house experts in Private Client & Tax, Trust Litigation, Corporate, and Employment, providing detailed advice at short notice for clients who are looking for the best location to file proceedings.

Another area of special interest is the resolution of disputes over children, including issues of custody, access, and the problems that may arise when one parent wishes to move abroad with the children. The team also advises trustees on the ramifications of a family member's marriage, civil partnership, or separation, and has a very strong pre-nuptial practice, often with international elements.

About the role

This role will sit in our Los Angeles office.

• Handle both contentious and non-contentious family law matters for a diverse client base;
• Manage divorce cases involving complex financial disputes, property division, and spousal support;
• Draft, review, and negotiate marital agreements, including prenuptial, postnuptial, and cohabitation agreements;
• Represent clients in child custody and visitation matters, including paternity disputes;
• Provide comprehensive advice across all areas of family law;
• Advise on child support, adoption, guardianship, and parental rights issues;
• Navigate international family law matters, including cross-border custody and asset division;
• Prepare and file court pleadings, motions, and other legal documents;
• Conduct legal research and stay updated on changes in family law legislation and case law;
• Contribute to the team's profile and undertake business development activities to establish, develop, and maintain long-term relationships, including writing articles/posts, attending events/conferences, and building networks with private wealth contacts/intermediaries.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive; the role may also include additional tasks as required.

Requirements

• Strong academic credentials (J.D. required);
• Between 3 – 6 years of experience practicing in a law firm's family law group;
• California Bar membership (in good standing) required;
• Able to work as an integrated member of the family team, with a goal of strengthening and expanding the reputation of the family department;
• Proven ability to stay on top of a busy practice—including time recording, proactive deadline and matter management, and taking ownership of assigned projects—without requiring supervision;
• Demonstrates a genuine interest in contributing to the firm’s success as a whole, including through mentorship of junior team members and development and refinement of firm processes;
• Inspires the confidence of clients, intermediaries, and referral sources (internal and external);
• Takes a practical approach to solving client problems and is nimble in employing tools to implement these solutions.

Pay

For California, the expected salary range for this position is between $205,000 and $280,000. The actual compensation will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law.

About Withers

Withers is a law firm focused on people, performance, and collaboration. For the past 130 years, we have supported some of the world’s most remarkable people and organizations at defining moments in their lives. We are united in our commitment to integrity, quality, and collaboration, delivering excellent service consistently across the firm. We provide tailored solutions built on trust and partner with our clients to achieve their goals.

Many of our clients are shaping the future and creating solutions to tackle many of the world’s problems. Our role is to get to know each individual client, find out where they want to be, and help them get there—whether they are building a business, buying a home, or protecting and defending their interests. We are exceptionally collaborative, working together across teams and time zones, and agile—focusing on strategy rather than rigid ideas and traditional hierarchy.