Litigation Paralegal

Job Description

Job Description

30-Day Trial Engagement (Confidential Search)

Calabasas, CA (Hybrid) • Contract • $65–$95/hr

THE ROLE

This is a confidential search conducted by Interdependence on behalf of a longstanding strategic legal partner — a Calabasas-based plaintiff's trial boutique — for a 30-day freelance litigation paralegal engagement in support of a California Superior Court jury trial set for June 2026. The engaging law firm will be disclosed to qualified candidates following execution of a standard mutual non-disclosure agreement and completion of a conflict check.

This is a sprint-style engagement with daily deliverables, close attorney supervision, a clear end date, and above-market compensation paid weekly. The right candidate is a seasoned California civil litigation paralegal between trials who can plug into a trial team and contribute substantively from day one.

ENGAGEMENT TERMS

• Duration: Approximately 30 days, beginning immediately, through approximately one week post-verdict (estimated mid-June 2026).
• Hours: 30–50 hours per week. Trial weeks heavier. Weekend and evening availability required during trial.
• Location: Hybrid. Most work remote.
• Rate: $65–$95 per hour, commensurate with experience and certifications. Paid weekly via 1099 directly by the engaging law firm.
• Engaging entity: The engaging law firm is the contracting party for this role. Interdependence's role is limited to candidate sourcing and initial screening; the working relationship, supervision, and payment will run through the law firm.
• Supervision: Direct supervision by lead trial counsel and senior associate counsel, under California Business & Professions Code § 6452.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Trial exhibit preparation, exhibit-list management, and exhibit binders (paper and electronic).
• Deposition transcript review, designation/counter -designation tracking, and pinpoint citation cross-referencing.
• Motion in liminelogistics: tracking deadlines, formatting, e-filing through LASC One Legal or File & ServeXpress, assembling judge's courtesy copies.
• Witness file maintenance — fact witnesses,retained experts, treating physicians.
• Subpoena issuance, service tracking, and witness coordination for trial appearances.
• Trial notebook assembly and ongoing maintenance through verdict.
• Cite-checking and California Style Manual compliance on motions, oppositions, and trial briefs.
• Document review support — productions are substantiallycomplete but supplementation is anticipated.
• Coordination with retained court reporters, videographers, and trial-servicesvendors.
• In-trial dailylogistics: courtroom setup, exhibit retrieval, witness check-in, end-of-day debriefs with counsel.

QuALIFICATIONS

• Compliance with California Business & Professions Code § 6450: ABA-approved paralegal program, paralegal certificate from an accredited institution, baccalaureate degree with one year of qualifying experience, or high school diploma with three years of qualifying experience under attorney supervision.
• Minimum five (5) years of California civil litigation paralegal experience.
• Demonstrated jury-trial preparation experience — at least three matters thatproceeded to or through trial in California Superior Court.
• Fluency in the Los Angeles Superior Court e-filing ecosystem (One Legal, File &ServeXpress, or Case Anywhere).
• Hands-on competence with California Code of Civil Procedure deadlines, the California Rules of Court, and Los Angeles Superior Court local rules.
• Working knowledge of CCP §§ 998, 2024.030, the 2034 series, and the CACI jury instruction structure.
• Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Pro (Bates stamping, redaction, OCR), and at least one document review or trial-presentation platform (TrialDirector,OnCue, or equivalent).
• Discretion, professionalism, and the ability to keepconfidences. Non-negotiable.

PREFERRED

• Prior trial-team experience ona premises liability, TBI, or catastrophic personal injury matter.
• Familiarity with Beverly Hills Courthouse procedures and Department 205.
• Experience withmedical-records review and expert-file management (life care planning, neuropsychology, vocational economics, biomechanics).
• California Notary Publiccommission.
• Experience supporting both a lead trial lawyer and second-chair attorney in a coordinated trial team.

WHAT YOU'LL GET

• Direct access to senior trial counsel — no middle layer.
• Meaningful, substantive trial-team work on a significant matter — not document-review-by-the-yard.
• Above-market compensation paid weekly, not on net-30 terms.
• A clean engagement letter with a clear end date and a kill-fee clause that protects both sides.
• A professional reference for future engagements, contingent on performance.

PLEASE DO NOT APPLY IF...

• You cannot commit to the full 30-day engagement through verdict, including weekends and evenings during trial.
• Your last California civil trial was more than four years ago.
• You are currently engaged on another trial set during May or June 2026.
• You cannot be physically present in Calabasas and at the Beverly Hills Courthouse on short notice.
• You are not authorized to perform paralegal work in California under B&P § 6450.

APPLICATION MATERIALS

Submit through the Greenhouse application portal:

• Current resume.
• A short cover noteidentifying (a) three California civil trials you supported through verdict in the last five years (venue, trial date, your role); (b) your earliest available start date; and (c) your hourly rate.
• Two professional references — names, titles, direct phone numbers — from California trial lawyers who have supervised your trial-preparation work in the last36 months.
• Confirmation that you can pass a written conflict check with respect to a discrete list of California law firms, parties, and counsel (to be provided afterinitial screening).

Application window: Open until filled. We expect to make a decision within 7 days of posting. Early qualifying applicants will be interviewed first.

This search is conducted by Interdependence on behalf of a strategic legal partner. Interdependence and the engaging law firm are equal opportunity engagers and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category. Background check and conflict check are conditions of engagement. Pay range disclosure provided pursuant to California Labor Code § 432.3 and SB 1162.