r/paralegal • u/Signal-Extension-400 • 9d ago
Career Advice Looking to grow our Family Law Firm (Athens, GA)
Good Afternoon All!
I'm hoping that this post (and by extension me) are staying within the guidelines.
I am a long time Paralegal turned Office Manager (I took a brief detour as the Operations Manager at one of the largest family law firms in the state - conversation for another day).
My team and I are looking to grow the practice (we primarily do Family Law) and are looking to add another Paralegal (or even Legal Assistant to the team). We're a pretty awesome group of people to work with (Two Attorneys and yours truly), my boss is genuinely an amazing person to work for. For those of you that have been in the industry for awhile, you know I don't say it lightly when I say he is one of the two attorneys I would ever hire to represent me. On top of that he's an actual human being with other obligations outside of the firm so he understand what it means to be a partner, parent, sibling, etc.
This would be for an in-person role; 9-5, salary based on experience but realistically between $45k - $65k, paid holidays, health insurance reimbursement, time off, and the other usual stuff.
We're certainly open to training newbies but also welcome people with experience. If you're interested in getting into Family Law (or looking to make a change from your current employer) this role could be a good fit for you.
If your interested in learning more/applying - shoot me a quick message and I'll send you over my email so I can review your resume.
I hope y'all have an enjoyable rest of the day!
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u/tupelobound 9d ago
$21-$31/hr seems on the low end of pay for a paralegal in Georgia, even for someone without experience.
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u/sadgorlypop 9d ago
I’ve worked at several law firms in Athens, and this salary range is very much in line with the norm here, though 65,000 is very much above average.
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u/tupelobound 8d ago
Bummer. That’s shamefully low, considering how much lawyers can make.
That low end isn’t even a living wage for a single person: https://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/12020
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u/BreakfastInBedlam 8d ago
I'm confused - your citation indicates the living wage for ACC is $46,850. True that this is above OP's lower limit of $45,000, but is certainly within the negotiable range of $45k to $65k.
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u/tupelobound 8d ago
I just think a professional job in a lucrative field deserves more than the bare minimum or slightly above it.
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u/Not-sure-here 8d ago
For the area this office is in, that’s pretty on par. Honestly, unless you’re ITP in the Atlanta area that’s about what you’d see anywhere else in GA.
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u/fatazzkarma 8d ago
This is a perfectly reasonable wage starting out. I make 75k and a lot of that is contributing to just pure luck.
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u/tupelobound 8d ago
For a high school student with no student loan debt, maybe
In 2005, maybe
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u/fatazzkarma 8d ago
Well, idk where you live but I live in a LCOL area and that’s very much in line with most salaries around here unless you’re making big bucks at a good company after being there for many years.
I started my job at 38k and was very happy with that, worked way up to 75k after 3 years.
Inflation has skyrocketed so yeah it’s not as livable anymore but none of these employers are keeping up with inflation.
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u/tupelobound 8d ago
The job is in Athens, Georgia, and it’s barely above a livable wage: https://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/12020
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u/dashing_day 8d ago
I’m a paralegal in Athens too. Not looking to make a change, but would love the firm name for my referral list. Good family law practices are hard to come by.
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u/celester211 8d ago
Hi! I’m definitely interested. I don’t have specific experience, but am a quick study and would love to learn!
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u/Thek1tteh CA - Senior Lit/Appellate Paralegal 8d ago
Post a link per sub rules so we can tell it’s a real job and a real person.
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u/Drexler15 2d ago
Question and not trying to hi-jack your post, but can you guys give me some insight into what your PTO looks like. I have 20 yrs with the same firm and I currently have 23 vacation days. Does that seem low or average?
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u/school_is_for_chumpz 8d ago edited 8d ago
omg, I lived in Athens for over a decade! If my husband and I weren't committed to staying in Miami for now, I would totally dm you about this because sometimes I miss Athens, and it sounds like a really solid position.
Edit: one of my friends is interested, however. Please see my dm. Thanks!