Trial Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

The Sentinel Firm, APC is searching for an exceptional trial lawyer to become the firm’s go-to attorney for trials, arbitrations, and the firm’s most important courtroom proceedings.

This is not a position for an employment lawyer who occasionally tries cases. We are looking for a serious, battle-tested first-chair trial attorney with an extensive record of successfully presenting employment cases to judges, juries, and arbitrators.

Our firm maintains a substantial and growing docket of plaintiff-side employment matters. You will take the lead whenever one of those cases proceeds to trial or arbitration—developing the trial strategy, preparing witnesses, presenting the evidence, and delivering the case to verdict.

You will also appear at the firm’s most consequential dispositive hearings, where the outcome could determine the future of a case. We want an accomplished courtroom advocate representing our clients when the stakes are highest.

You will have the resources, case pipeline, and institutional support of a successful employment law firm behind you. Your focus will be what you do best: advocating, trying, and winning important cases.

The Role

As the firm’s lead trial attorney, you will:

• Serve as first-chair trial counsel in jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations
• Attend and argue the firm’s most important dispositive and case-defining hearings
• Assume primary responsibility for trial strategy and courtroom presentation
• Prepare and examine witnesses, including plaintiffs, corporate representatives, experts, and key decision-makers
• Conduct voir dire, opening statements, direct and cross-examinations, and closing arguments
• Handle pretrial proceedings, motions in limine, evidentiary issues, jury instructions, and verdict forms
• Work closely with the firm’s litigation teams to position cases for maximum leverage and trial success
• Evaluate cases from a trial lawyer’s perspective and help determine which matters should be tried
• Mentor and develop attorneys who will assist with trial preparation and second-chair responsibilities
• Help establish and elevate the firm’s trial systems, standards, and courtroom culture

The Experience We Require

The successful candidate must have:

• Extensive first-chair jury trial experience in California employment law
• A meaningful record of taking cases through verdict—not merely assisting with trial preparation
• Substantial experience trying cases involving several of the following:
• California Fair Employment and Housing Act claims
• Discrimination and harassment
• Retaliation and whistleblower claims
• Wrongful termination
• California Labor Code violations
• Wage-and-hour claims
• Representative or complex employment matters
• Significant experience arguing important dispositive motions and handling high-stakes court proceedings
• Strong command of California employment law, evidence, civil procedure, and trial practice
• Exceptional courtroom presence, judgment, credibility, and persuasive ability
• The ability to simplify complex facts and legal theories into compelling stories for judges and juries
• Active membership in good standing with the California State Bar

Plaintiff-side experience is strongly preferred. However, we are open to an accomplished defense-side employment trial lawyer who is ready to bring that experience to a leading plaintiff-side practice.

Compensation

We are prepared to offer a compensation package that reflects the importance of this position:

• Base salary of $200,000–$300,000, depending on experience and trial record
• Commission-based compensation
• Performance and discretionary bonuses
• Total annual compensation potential exceeding $600,000
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Paid time off
• Professional development support

Work Arrangement

We understand that an accomplished trial lawyer values both autonomy and flexibility. Depending on the candidate’s experience, location, and the needs of the firm, this position may be structured as remote or hybrid.

Regardless of the work arrangement, the attorney must be available to appear in person for trials, arbitrations, significant dispositive hearings, and other important proceedings throughout California as needed.

Why Join The Sentinel Firm?

This is a rare opportunity for an elite trial lawyer who wants a steady pipeline of significant employment cases without having to build an independent book of business.

You will not be hired simply to supervise files, attend routine hearings, or spend your career behind a desk. You will be entrusted with the firm’s most consequential cases and given the platform to build a lasting trial legacy.

The right attorney will have substantial autonomy, direct access to firm leadership, strong litigation support, workplace flexibility, and the opportunity to become a central figure in the continued growth of the firm.

If the courtroom is where you do your best work and you have the verdicts and experience to prove it, we want to hear from you.

To apply, please submit your resume along with a summary of your first-chair trial experience, including the nature of the cases tried, the claims involved, and the outcomes obtained.

All inquiries are strictly confidential.