We're a Southern California law firm practicing criminal and family law, with a particular focus on where those areas intersect with juvenile dependency (CPS) cases. Our founding attorney has more than 20 years of experience in Orange County's courts and has won several published appellate decisions that shape California dependency law today.
We're producing a book under her name for parents facing a Child Protective Services investigation or dependency case in Orange County. It will be published on Amazon and distributed as a free PDF on our website. The goal is a definitive, accurate, and genuinely useful guide, one that establishes her authority and gives families the understanding they need to make good decisions. The book covers the cross-court territory most resources ignore: how a CPS case can trigger criminal charges, how an arrest can open a CPS investigation, and how custody disputes can end up in dependency court.
The book has two audiences:
Parents and caretakers who have just been contacted by the Orange County Social Services Agency and don't understand the system they're in.
Attorneys in criminal, family, and other practice areas whose clients are caught up in, or at risk of, a dependency case. They need a working understanding of dependency procedure and of how decisions in one courtroom create risks in another.
It's also written to be cited by AI search engines, so clarity, precision, and self-contained answers matter.
Where Things Stand
We have a detailed working table of contents: an introduction, 21 chapters in six parts, a conclusion, and four appendices (FAQ compilation, statute reference, local resources, and a glossary). The estimated total is 48,000–55,000 words. Each chapter follows a consistent template: an opening, a "What Most Parents Get Wrong" section, the legal framework, practical guidance, a first-person insight box in the author's voice, and 8–12 FAQs. We also have a detailed project brief covering voice, tone, required statutes, and professional conduct standards.
The structure is a starting point, not a fixed requirement. If you see a better way to organize the book, whether that means combining chapters, changing the sequence, tightening the scope, or rethinking the chapter template, we want to hear it. We'll share the full outline and brief with shortlisted candidates.
What You'll Do
Review the outline and propose structural improvements before drafting begins. This is a paid first milestone.
Draft and edit chapters from the approved structure, the project brief, and input from the attorney. Some chapters will start from AI-assisted drafts that need substantial editing and fact-checking; others need to be written from scratch.
Write in the author's voice. The style is direct, calm, and authoritative, like a senior practitioner explaining what she has seen. It is not a textbook and not a self-help guide. We'll provide her published legal commentary as the voice reference.
Get the law right. Cite the California Welfare and Institutions Code, Penal Code, and Family Code accurately. When you're unsure about a provision, flag it for attorney review rather than guessing.
Meet professional conduct standards. That means no guaranteed outcomes, no disparaging of judges, social workers, or anyone else, and no fear-based messaging.
Write strong FAQ sections that answer questions the way parents actually phrase them.
Keep the manuscript consistent in terminology, cross-references, and formatting.
How We'll Work Together
You'll work day-to-day with me, a firm executive managing the project: scheduling, feedback, and milestone approvals. The attorney will review and approve all legal content and will be available for periodic interviews to capture her insights and experience. You won't be giving legal advice, but you do need to handle legal material precisely and know when to ask.
Required
Strong legal writing or legal editing background. You might be a JD, a paralegal, a former legal journalist, or a legal publishing editor.
Demonstrated ability to translate complex legal procedure into plain language without losing accuracy.
Experience ghostwriting or writing in someone else's established voice.
Book-length project experience (40,000+ words).
Meticulous attention to citations and factual accuracy.
Comfort drawing insights out of a busy subject-matter expert through interviews.
Strongly Preferred
Familiarity with California criminal law, family law, or juvenile dependency law (WIC §300 et seq.), and especially with how they overlap.
Experience with attorney marketing content and California State Bar advertising rules.
Familiarity with SEO or generative-engine optimization (GEO) for long-form content.
Experience editing AI-generated drafts for accuracy and voice.
Following milestones: Introduction and Part I, then one Part at a time, with review and revision between each
Paid test: Shortlisted candidates will complete a short paid sample, editing and partially drafting one chapter section, before the contract is awarded.
Confidentiality: You'll sign an NDA. This is a ghostwriting engagement, and the book will be published under the attorney's name.
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