Trust Administration & Family Building Associate Attorney

A. C. Howard Law; Carlsbad (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A. C. Howard Law in Carlsbad, CA is seeking an Associate Attorney to join our team focusing on trust administration and family-building matters.

This is a full-time, on-site role grounded in compassionate, client-centered legal work. The ideal candidate holds a JD and California Bar admission with at least one year of experience in family law or trust administration, and demonstrates high emotional intelligence, meticulous attention to detail, and a disciplined approach to case management and

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active California State Bar membership.
• Minimum of 1 year of full-time experience in Family Law with experience handling disclosures and support calculations; OR 1 year in Trust Administration.
• Positive, flexible attitude and enthusiasm for growing the client base.
• High emotional intelligence and genuine passion for empathetic legal work.

Responsibilities

• Draft and review surrogacy agreements, parentage orders, donor contracts, and manage adoption proceedings.
• Draft and negotiate prenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements and support clients in reviewing marriage settlement agreements.
• Oversee trust administration matters from triggering events to beneficiary distributions and client communications.
• Handle guardianships and conservatorships in probate filings guiding families through court processes.
• Support the team with estate planning and probate matters as needed.

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school

California State Bar admission

Job description

Job Title: Associate Attorney – Trust Administration and Family Building

Location: Carlsbad Village, CA (Office-based, not remote)

Position Type: Full-Time

About AC Howard Law

At AC Howard Law, we are dedicated to providing compassionate legal services that honor the emotional and financial needs of the clients we serve during life’s most challenging transitions. Our mission is to secure and protect families—from cradle to grave—by crafting thoughtful legal documents with expertise and empathy. Be fulfilled with your law degree and lead with your heart on sensitive family-centered legal matters. Use your Type-A attention to detail productively and see the fruits of your efforts with hugs from happy clients.

We are NOT litigators, but we believe an ounce of preemptive documentation is worth a pound of high-conflict court battles. And, what better way to use your law degree than occasionally helping to grow families? Receiving birth announcements and celebrating adoption ‘gotcha’ days is a beautiful way to counterbalance the shepherding we do for grief-stricken families in moving forward after a loss. Wouldn’t you agree?

Position Overview

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Associate Attorney to join our growing team. This role covers a unique, delightful mix of the periphery of family law and uncontested work in probate.

On the family law side, support LGBTQ, single, and infertile couples grow their families via surrogacy, adoption, guardianship, and donation contracts. Also, help people mitigate court exposure with well-crafted prenuptial agreements, settlement reviews, and support in mediation.

On the probate side, help families navigate the highly sensitive filings in guardianship of estate or person, conservatorships, and reap the rewards of preemptive planning via trust administration.

Also, capitalize on your interest in networking by connecting with fertility clinics, adoption agencies, real estate brokers, and financial advisors or title specialists when time permits. The ideal candidate shares our commitment to client empowerment and has a meticulous eye for checklists, disclosures, and case control.

Compensation

$130,000 - $160,000 yearly

Qualifications

• Requirements
• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school and an active member in good standing with the California State Bar.
• Minimum Experience:
• At least 1 year of full-time experience in Family Law, with specific hands-on experience handling financial disclosures and calculating support or equalization payments; OR
• At least 1 year of full-time experience in Trust Administration, specifically focused on marshaling assets, correcting in-pro-per missteps, and maintaining client control.
• Positive, flexible attitude and enthusiasm for growing the client base.
• High emotional intelligence and a genuine passion for empathetic legal work.
• Strong organizational skills and experience with accountability check-ins.

Responsibilities

• Family Building: Draft and review surrogacy agreements, parentage orders, donor contracts, and manage private/agency/relative and stepparent adoption proceedings.
• Marital & Settlement Agreements: Draft and negotiate prenuptial agreements and postnups and support clients in reviewing marriage settlement agreements for individuals using a mediated divorce
• Trust Administration & Small Estates: Oversee trust administration matters from the triggering event (incapacity or death) to beneficiary distribution and receipt collection. Add a touch of humanity by sending a condolence gift to clients going through a loss.
• Guardianships & Conservatorships: Handle the uncontested probate filings, including legal guardianship matters for minors and conservatorships for incapacitated adults, guiding families through court processes with sensitivity.
• Support the Team: On occasion, help the other lawyers with a higher volume level of estate planning and a handful of statutory-fee probate uncontested cases (intestate succession or execution of a will on a larger estate).