OP with an update--I went ahead and addressed in in my cover letter after I talked to a friend who had gone through a similar situation.

Submitted my application (online) last Sunday, got an email Friday inviting me to interview!!

Now I just have to stress about having my first interview since 1999 and figure out what to wear!

I would treat it like any other job. Put it on your resume, with the best job title you can come up with that legitimately describes your work. Perhaps firm administrator?

Unlikely anyone will google the firm and put 2+2 together.

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't call attention to it at all

If it was a year, I'd maybe agree here, but 5 years is a pretty hefty gap to have missing on your resume.

I've hired plenty of people who worked with a spouse and then branched out to do their own thing. What's good in your case is that you have others within the firm whom you can use as a reference. It gets trickier when the only other employee for me to contact is the spouse.

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't call attention to it at all

+1, especially if your desired job/field is not related to this business.

I wouldn't call attention to it at all

For the last 5 years I've been working PT for my DH's law firm (he runs it with a paralegal and has a few attorneys who do contract work) doing all of the financial tasks (billing, payroll, accounts payable, etc.) and filling in doing paralegal type stuff as needed. But I'm ready to find a "real job" full time. The firm doesn't have our last name on it because it's difficult, but since it's unique (probably fewer than 20 with it in the US) anyone who googled the business name would see that DH has the same last name and make the connection. My name doesn't show up anywhere, in fact if I'm helping out I usually just prep emails, etc. with the paralegal's name and she emails from her account.

Should I say something like, "After working to help establish and run (Firm Name) for 5 years, I'm eager to return to my career in Y full time..."

TIA!