Associate Attorney - Family Law

Position Description

We seek an assertive, ambitious attorney to join the family law practice group in our Champaign office. Our new hire will independently manage his or her own full caseload consisting primarily of the full range of traditional family law matters, including cases involving dissolution of marriage, parentage/paternity, allocation of parental responsibility, child support, division of property, spousal support, orders of protection, adoption, minor and adult guardianships, and related issues.

We need an attorney ready to hit the ground running and who will be comfortable advising and counseling clients embroiled in sometimes stressful family law disputes. This job requires an attorney interested in and capable of managing an active litigation practice that requires investigating the underlying facts of the case, negotiating settlement resolutions to issues when possible, and litigating aggressively a client’s position in court when negotiations are unsuccessful.

Drafting legal documents of all types (correspondence, pleadings/motions, notices, subpoenas, proposed court orders, etc.), reviewing large amounts of documents, issuing and responding to discovery, interviewing witnesses, researching legal issues, preparing for court hearings, and conducting contested hearings and trials will be part of our new attorney’s daily practice. This job will involve supervision of a legal assistant and paralegals assigned to provide staff support to the attorney, as well as opportunities to confer and collaborate with other attorneys in the firm as the need arises.

Our new lawyer will need to engage in frequent and professional communication with clients, witnesses, opposing counsel, and court personnel will be required in person, by telephone, and via e-mail. Frequent court appearances and some light travel in Central Illinois will be required.

Applicants can expect a typical workday, with the understanding that our attorneys manage their own schedules and can take time off as needed, provided that they also are reasonably available to address the kinds of emergency situations that family law clients sometimes experience from time to time on nights and weekends.

Experience/Qualifications

The successful applicant will desire to live, work, and grow in Central Illinois, and either has been admitted to the Illinois Bar or will pursue successful admission to the Illinois Bar after graduation. At least one year of prior family law litigation experience as an attorney is preferred, but we will consider attorneys will all levels of experience, including newly licensed attorneys. Applicants should have a strong command of the English language with excellent communication skills (including writing and proofreading).

Compensation and Benefits

We compensate our new attorneys well based on collected billings and expected ability to bring in and/or service new business over time. Employment benefits presently include group health insurance coverage, disability insurance coverage, small group life insurance policy, retirement plan (after specified period of employment), annual contribution to personal cell phone expense, and an annual limited reimbursement for technology purchases.

Application Procedure

Please e-mail a cover letter, a comprehensive resume, and a writing sample to our firm’s legal administrator, Ms. Laurel Bailie, at LBailie@MeyerCapel.com with “Champaign Family Law Attorney Application” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.

After initial screening, we will contact those applicants whom we wish to interview or from whom we would like to receive additional information. We typically conduct multiple interviews of applicants in whom we are interested. If called upon to do so in the future, then applicants should be expected to provide a copy of all undergraduate and law school transcripts, supply a list of professional references that we will contact, and submit to a full background check.

Confidentiality of Application

If requested, we will maintain the confidentiality of all applications until the reference-check stage of our process.