Junior Associate

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Bonus based on performance
• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Opportunity for advancement
• Paid time off
• Training & development
• Tuition assistance

| | SOUDER LAW GROUP Spacemakers · Institution Builders · Change Agents Junior Associate Attorney Job Description  ·  Entry-Level Newark, NJ  ·  Full-Time

Position Summary

| PRACTICE GROUPS | Real Estate, Land Use & Redevelopment; Litigation
| REPORTS TO | Managing Partner; day-to-day direction from Senior Associates and, on litigation matters, the Head of Litigation
| SUPERVISES | None; coordinates with paralegals and legal assistants on assigned tasks
| LOCATION | Newark, NJ  |  570 Broad Street, Suite 1400, Newark, NJ 07102
| EMPLOYMENT TYPE | Full-time 
| BILLABLE TARGET | 1,800 hours per year, with consistent monthly pacing
| COMPENSATION | $85,000 - $110,000 +  benefits and 401(k)

| OUR MISSION “Souder Law Group's sole purpose is fighting to create the space you think should exist. SLG helps people develop a better understanding of how the law impacts life.”

Who We Are

Souder Law Group is a Newark-based New Jersey firm built on a simple idea: lawyers create the rules of life, and those rules define space. We are Spacemakers, Institution Builders, and Change Agents. Our Inclusive Legal Solutions span real estate and economic development, government affairs, education and nonprofit, health and cannabis, and litigation, with a focus on urban communities across the Northeast. Our Real Estate Group pairs commercial and residential real estate skill with a deep understanding of community needs, guiding owners, developers, lenders, housing authorities, and municipalities through redevelopment agreements, PILOT and tax-exemption programs, land-use approvals, and complex legal disputes.

The Role

The Junior Associate is where an SLG legal career begins. You will build a foundation across the firm's real estate, land-use, redevelopment, and tax-abatement work while also supporting the firm's litigation practice. You will research, draft, and assemble the work that moves our matters forward, learning directly from senior attorneys how municipal approvals are won, how transactions close, and how disputes are prepared and argued. The role is closely supervised by design, and it is built for growth.

Core Responsibilities

■    Research. Prepare foundational research on zoning ordinances, redevelopment law, tax-abatement statutes, and municipal procedures.

■    Land use and redevelopment drafting. Assist with drafting portions of land-use applications, redevelopment submissions, long-term tax exemption filings, and planning board materials.

■    Transaction support. Support commercial and residential real estate transactions through due diligence, title review, survey analysis, and closing checklists.

■    Lender and government documents. Prepare preliminary drafts of lender compliance documents, loan schedules, and municipal certifications.

■    Government representation research. Research procurement, ethics, and public contracting requirements for government-entity clients.

■    Meetings. Attend internal and municipal meetings as an observer; client-facing responsibilities are limited at the outset and expand with demonstrated readiness.

■    Timekeeping. Maintain meticulous, contemporaneous timekeeping in Clio and meet the 1,800-hour billable requirement.

Litigation Practice Support

This position supports Souder Law Group's litigation practice in addition to its transactional and land-use work. Litigation assignments are directed by the Head of Litigation and the supervising attorney on each matter.

■    Litigation research and writing. Research legal issues and prepare first drafts of memoranda, pleadings, motions, briefs, and certifications for review by the Head of Litigation and supervising attorneys.

■    Discovery. Draft discovery requests and responses, conduct document review, prepare privilege logs, and draft deficiency letters.

■    Depositions, hearings, and trial. Prepare deposition outlines, witness preparation materials, and exhibit bundles; attend depositions, hearings, and trials in support or second-chair roles.

■    Practice-connected disputes. Support litigation arising from the firm's core practice, including prerogative writ challenges to land-use decisions, commercial lease and title disputes, foreclosure matters, and public-entity matters.

■    Court deadlines and filings. Track court deadlines and case management orders in Clio and prepare filings for submission through eCourts under attorney supervision.

■    Supervised appearances. Once admitted, and with supervising-attorney approval, handle routine appearances such as case management conferences and uncontested motions.

Qualifications

REQUIRED

■    Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited law school.

■    Admitted to practice in New Jersey, or a recent graduate awaiting admission.

■    Strong research, writing, and citation skills, demonstrated through a writing sample.

■    Meticulous attention to detail and disciplined time management.

■    Genuine interest in urban redevelopment, community-centered legal work, and litigation.

PREFERRED

■    0 to 2 years of experience, including judicial clerkship, law clerk, or internship experience in real estate, land use, municipal, or litigation practice.

■    New York or Pennsylvania admission.

■    Familiarity with Clio and Microsoft 365.

Core Competencies

■    Accuracy. Produces clean first drafts and correct citations.

■    Coachability. Absorbs feedback and shows fewer revision cycles over time.

■    Initiative. Flags issues early and proposes next steps.

■    Communication. Keeps supervising attorneys informed and deadlines visible.

Compensation and Benefits

■    Base salary: $85,000 – $110,000, commensurate with experience.

■    Health, dental, and vision insurance.

■    401(k) with employer contribution.

■    Paid time off and paid holidays.

■    Bar dues and CLE budget.

Compensation is disclosed in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency law (effective June 1, 2025), which requires each posting for a new job or transfer opportunity to state the wage or salary, or its range, and a general description of benefits.

Our Values — In Our Own Words

Every SLG team member is hired, coached, and evaluated against the firm's nine core values.

| 1.  Community “We are of the community, working together for our collective betterment.” | 2.  Empathy “We ensure our interactions are guided by understanding and compassion.” | 3.  Comradery “We draw strength from our collective expertise and dedication.”
| 4.  Integrity “We embody honesty and transparency.” | 5.  Persistent “We find solutions and navigate challenges with resilience until we achieve the outcomes our clients need and deserve.” | 6.  Respect “We lead by example, embracing our role as catalysts for positive change.”
| 7.  Assessable “We ensure our clients have the support they need.” | 8.  Courageous “We stand up for what is right with unwavering resolve.” | 9.  Accountability “We are committed to excellence without excuses.”

Why SLG

■    Mission-driven work. Redevelopment, PILOT and tax-abatement, land-use, municipal, and litigation matters that visibly reshape Newark, Jersey City, and communities across New Jersey.

■    Founder-led firm. Direct mentorship from Calvin W. Souder, Managing Partner and 2025 NJBIZ Leaders in Law honoree, and a real seat at the table.

■    Modern operating system. Clio Manage, Clio Grow, automated templates, and AI-assisted drafting, built so attorneys and staff can focus on the work rather than busywork.

■    Inclusive culture. We represent communities of all kinds, and we hire the same way.

Working Conditions

Standard business hours with additional time around closings, filing deadlines, hearings, and trial preparation. Periodic attendance at evening municipal meetings and in-person court proceedings is expected.

How to Apply

Send your resume and a short cover note to View email address on ziprecruiter.com. Include a legal writing sample of 5 to 10 pages. We review applications on a rolling basis. Shortlisted candidates complete SLG's values-based Candidate Questionnaire, which also serves as a writing sample, before an in-person or virtual interview at our Newark office.

| EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Souder Law Group is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals. We strongly encourage applicants from historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply. This job description summarizes the principal duties of the position; it is not an employment contract, and the firm may modify duties and assignments to meet client and firm needs.