Job Title: Bilingual Spanish/English Attorney — Special Education & Estate Planning (Temp-to-Perm)
Job Type: Contract, Full-time (Temp-to-hire) Location: Multiple Locations, CA — Hybrid Pay: $115,000 to $130,000 per year Schedule: 40 hours/week
About Us
The Law Offices of Phillip Sparks APC is a Southern California firm built on one idea: families deserve an advocate who understands both the law and what they're going through. For years we've represented students with disabilities and their parents in special education matters across California. We're now expanding into estate planning, conservatorships, Social Security benefits advocacy, and general education law — because the families we serve need support well beyond the IEP table.
Roughly 35% of our client families are Spanish-speaking. If you can sit across from a parent and explain a complex legal process in the language they think in, you will change how that family experiences the system.
The Role
This is a three-month, full-time employment contract with a clear path to a permanent offer. We use the initial term as a real trial period in both directions — you evaluate us, we evaluate you, and if it's a fit, we renew or convert to a permanent position.
You'll start with a caseload in our core special education practice and grow into our newer estate planning and conservatorship work as it develops. You will have real client contact from week one.
What You'll Do
- Represent parents and students in IEP meetings, mediations, resolution sessions, and due process hearings under the IDEA and California Education Code
- Conduct client intakes and consultations in both Spanish and English
- Draft demand letters, complaints, settlement agreements, and hearing briefs
- Review educational records, assessments, and IEPs to identify actionable issues
- Assist with estate planning and conservatorship matters, including special needs trusts and LPS/probate conservatorship petitions (training provided — prior experience is a plus, not a prerequisite)
- Maintain accurate time records and case documentation
- Communicate with school districts, regional centers, opposing counsel, and outside professionals
What You Bring
Required
- Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California
- Professional fluency in Spanish and English — reading, writing, and speaking (you'll be drafting correspondence and interpreting in meetings, not just chatting)
- Strong legal writing and the ability to explain complicated things simply
- Comfort managing your own calendar and deadlines
- Ability to work up to 40 hours per week during the contract term
Preferred
- 1+ year(s) of experience in special education, disability rights, education law, family law, estate planning, or civil litigation
- Familiarity with OAH proceedings, regional centers, or probate court
- Experience with CLIO case management system
Also welcome: newer attorneys with genuine commitment to disability advocacy. We will train the right person.
Why You'd Want This
- Work that visibly changes a child's trajectory
- Direct mentorship from the firm's principal and senior attorneys
- Exposure to multiple practice areas as the firm expands
- A defined path from contract to permanent employment
- Comprehensive Benefits package (Medical, Dental, etc.)
How to Apply
Submit your resume, a brief cover letter, and a short writing sample (5 pages or fewer, redacted). In your cover letter, tell us in a sentence or two why this work matters to you.
The Law Offices of Phillip Sparks APC is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.
Pay: $115,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
License/Certification:
- California State Bar License (Required)
Work Location: Remote
