A mid-sized education law firm with a statewide California practice is adding an attorney to its Charter Schools group. The firm represents charter authorizers (school districts, county offices of education, and their boards), not charter schools. It built charter law as its own practice area years ago and is widely considered one of the leading authorizer-side practices in the state.

This is high-profile work. Charter decisions are public, often contested, and sometimes political. You'll be in the room with school boards and superintendents when it matters.

Offices (hybrid, any office): San Francisco, East Bay, Sacramento, Chico, Fresno, Long Beach, San Diego.

Compensation: $140,000 to $195,000 base.

What you'll do:

Roughly 60% charter work, 40% litigation.

• Review charter petitions and renewals for legal sufficiency, and draft findings supporting approval, conditions, or denial
• Advise authorizers on oversight duties, fiscal and compliance concerns, MOUs, and operating agreements
• Handle Proposition 39 facilities requests and facilities use agreements
• Support investigations, notices of violation, and revocation proceedings, including the litigation that follows
• Present to school boards and superintendents, often in public session
• Help deliver the trainings and webinars the firm runs for its clients
• Carry a litigation docket alongside the charter work

You'll work directly with and be trained by one of the longest-practicing charter attorneys in California.

What you need:

• Around 4 years of work experience, preferably as an attorney
• At least 2 years of litigation experience
• Admission to the California State Bar
• Comfort speaking in front of elected boards and senior administrators, and the judgment to handle politically sensitive matters
• Strong writing, research, and analytical skills

Nice to have:

• Charter school experience, on the authorizer side
• Education law experience (K-12, county office, or public agency)
• Genuine interest in building a career in charter law