Also called: Parents' Attorney, County Counsel (Dependency), Children's Attorney
Represents children, parents, or the agency in juvenile dependency court cases about abuse and neglect.
A child welfare attorney might meet a scared parent in the hallway before a hearing, argue in front of a judge about whether a child can safely go home, and review case files late into the evening.
Estimate; public-sector lawyers earn less than private-practice lawyers.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 7 years after high school. Law degree (J.D.) and a bar license.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Pre-Law, Political Science, Social Work.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years). Tracks lawyer growth.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI drafts motions and summarizes case files, trimming prep time; arguing in dependency court and counseling parents stay human.
Classes: AP Government, AP English Language, Speech or debate.
Official data: O*NET occupation 23-1011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.