Personal Injury Trial Attorney Catastrophic Injury & Wrongful Death Litigation

Job Description

Job Description

Direct Counsel is seeking a Personal Injury Trial Attorney with 2+ years of civil litigation experience to join a plaintiff-side litigation practice in Los Angeles, California . This is an excellent opportunity for a litigator seeking substantive ownership of sophisticated catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases , meaningful courtroom experience, and the opportunity to handle matters from initial filing through trial and appeal .

The practice represents injured plaintiffs exclusively in high-stakes matters involving complex medical issues, significant damages, and aggressively defended claims in both state and federal court.

Location

Valley Village, Los Angeles, CA
Full-Time | In Office

Responsibilities

• Independently manage catastrophic injury and wrongful death matters from complaint through judgment .
• Take substantive depositions of defendants, corporate persons most qualified (PMQs), treating physicians, defense medical examiners, and expert witnesses .
• Develop liability and damages strategies , with particular attention to medical causation, future care, and complex damages.
• Work directly with and prepare experts, including accident reconstructionists, biomechanical engineers, life care planners, and economists .
• Identify and preserve critical evidence and litigate spoliation issues when appropriate.
• Draft and argue substantive motions, including summary judgment oppositions, expert challenges under Sargon , motions in limine, and discovery motions .
• Handle federal court matters, including removal and remand, Rule 26 disclosures, discovery, and scheduling requirements .
• Prepare and try cases before juries, with meaningful courtroom and trial responsibility .
• Handle appellate matters in-house, including drafting appellate briefs and arguing matters before the California Court of Appeal .
• Work directly with clients and maintain ownership of case strategy, deadlines, discovery obligations, and overall case progression , with partner support as needed.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of civil litigation experience .
• Active membership in good standing with the California State Bar .
• Meaningful deposition experience — candidates should have personally taken depositions , rather than solely attended or assisted.
• Strong legal research, writing, and analytical abilities.
• Experience drafting substantive motions and briefs.
• Ability to independently manage cases, deadlines, and discovery obligations.
• Strong interest in trial advocacy and courtroom work .
• Federal court admission or willingness to obtain admission promptly.
• Strong judgment, ownership, and accountability.

Preferred Experience

• Plaintiff-side personal injury litigation , particularly catastrophic injury or wrongful death matters.
• Defense-side personal injury experience is also highly valued!
• Experience involving complex medical causation, damages, or expert discovery .
• Trial and/or appellate experience.
• Spanish fluency is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $120,000–$160,000 , depending on experience.
• Significant case-result bonus structure designed to provide earning potential beyond base salary.
• No billable-hour requirement.
• Health insurance.
• 401(k) with Roth option.
• Paid time off and paid sick leave.
• Direct partner mentorship on litigation strategy, depositions, and trial.
• Caseload structured around depth and quality rather than high-volume case handling .

Why This Opportunity

This position is designed for a litigator who wants to actually litigate cases . Attorneys receive ownership of their files, personally take critical depositions, work directly with experts, argue substantive motions, and try cases before juries.

The practice also handles appellate work in-house , giving attorneys the opportunity to follow their cases beyond trial and participate directly in appellate briefing and argument. Rather than focusing on billable hours or high-volume case processing, performance is tied to case results, verdicts, and settlements , with direct partner mentorship available throughout the process.

Application Materials

Candidates should be prepared to provide:

• Resume.
• Work sample consisting of either a deposition transcript personally taken by the candidate or a motion personally written and argued by the candidate.
• A brief written description of the strongest deposition they have personally taken , including the key answer sought, how they set it up, and whether they obtained it.

 

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