Contract Civil Litigation Attorney

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nContract Civil Litigation Attorney Devenere Law Collective About Devenere Law Collective Devenere Law Collective is a modern, collaborative law practice serving clients in matters that protect families, businesses, assets, and long-term wealth. Its work includes civil and business litigation, family law, trusts and estates, construction-related matters, corporate law, and intellectual property. The firm operates primarily remotely but maintains an office in downtown Houston. Attorneys work collaboratively across practice areas and may be required to attend the office for trial preparation, client preparation, team collaboration, or client meetings. The firm’s culture is intentionally collaborative and nonhierarchical. Attorneys, paralegals, case managers, and support professionals are expected to work as a team, accept constructive review, and contribute wherever their expertise is needed. The firm also values authenticity, community involvement, innovation, professionalism, and a client-centered approach. Position Summary Devenere Law Collective is seeking a versatile and driven Contract Civil Litigation Attorney to manage civil litigation matters in Texas state and federal courts. This position is designed for an attorney with approximately two to five years of relevant experience who can independently handle active cases while remaining adaptable across a broad range of civil disputes. The firm is not seeking a newly licensed attorney who requires intensive mentoring, nor is it limiting the search to candidates with experience in only one narrow area of litigation. The successful candidate will manage matters from initial assessment through resolution, draft pleadings and motions, conduct discovery, represent clients in hearings and trials, develop litigation strategy, maintain client communication, and comply with state and federal procedural requirements. The initial engagement will be structured as a 1099 independent-contractor arrangement lasting approximately six to eight months. Successful performance may lead to an offer of full-time employment, depending on the attorney’s performance and the firm’s operational needs. Compensation and Contract Structure Compensation $90–$115 per approved billable hour, depending on experience, federal litigation background, advocacy skills, practice-area knowledge, and overall qualifications. Compensation is based exclusively on approved billable work entered into the firm’s system. Logging into work, remaining available, or performing nonbillable activity does not automatically create compensable time. Attorneys must maintain accurate, timely, descriptive, and client-chargeable billing entries. At 160 approved billable hours per month, estimated monthly compensation ranges from approximately $14,400 to $18,400. Actual earnings will depend on approved billable hours and the agreed contractual rate. Contract Terms 1099 independent-contractor engagement. Initial commitment of approximately six to eight months. Approximately 160 billable hours per month expected. No employee benefits during the contractor period. Potential conversion to full-time employment based on performance, cultural alignment, client service, work quality, and business needs. Candidates must understand the difference between hours worked and client-billable hours before accepting the engagement. Work Arrangement and Geographic Requirements This position is primarily remote, but it is not location-independent. The selected attorney must: Reside in or near the Greater Houston area. Travel reliably to Harris County, Fort Bend County, and Brazoria County. Attend hearings, mediations, depositions, trials, client meetings, and other proceedings in person. Report to the downtown Houston office when needed for trial preparation, client preparation, team meetings, or other business purposes. Be available for occasional matters outside the firm’s primary counties when required. Candidates living outside the area without a realistic plan for regular in-person attendance should not be submitted. Key Responsibilities Civil Litigation Case Management Independently manage civil litigation matters from initial assessment through resolution. Review facts, claims, defenses, damages, procedural posture, and available evidence. Develop and update litigation strategies based on client objectives and case developments. Maintain a complete understanding of assigned matters. Identify legal, evidentiary, procedural, financial, and strategic risks. Track case milestones, court deadlines, discovery obligations, and client commitments. Prepare clear case evaluations and legal recommendations. Escalate significant strategic, ethical, or client-related concerns appropriately. Pleadings, Motions, and Legal Writing Draft and revise petitions, complaints, answers, counterclaims, motions, responses, briefs, and other litigation documents. Prepare state and federal court filings. Conduct legal research using applicable statutes, case law, procedural rules, and court authority. Produce persuasive, accurate, and well-supported written work. Review documents carefully for factual, procedural, citation, formatting, and substantive accuracy. Comply with applicable local, state, and federal filing requirements. State and Federal Court Practice Represent clients in Texas state and federal courts. Handle hearings, scheduling conferences, mediations, pretrial proceedings, and trials. Prepare oral arguments and evidentiary presentations. Maintain familiarity with federal and state procedural rules. Review local rules, standing orders, and judge-specific requirements. Coordinate filings and appearances within required deadlines. Maintain active admission to the Southern District of Texas. Discovery Develop discovery strategies based on the needs and value of each matter. Draft and respond to interrogatories, requests for production, requests for admission, and subpoenas. Review and organize document productions. Prepare clients and witnesses for depositions. Take and defend depositions. Address discovery deficiencies and disputes. Draft motions to compel, protective orders, and other discovery-related filings. Work with support staff to maintain organized discovery records. Business and Real Estate Litigation Handle disputes involving businesses, contracts, real property, commercial relationships, and related civil claims. Review business records, agreements, financial documents, communications, and other evidence. Assess contractual obligations, potential breaches, damages, and available remedies. Develop strategies suited to complex or high-value disputes. Advise clients regarding litigation risk and business considerations. Client Communication Maintain responsive and professional communication with clients. Explain litigation strategy, risks, deadlines, alternatives, and likely next steps. Provide realistic assessments without making guarantees. Prepare clients for hearings, depositions, mediations, and trials. Exercise discretion when handling highly sensitive personal, business, financial, and identifying information. Maintain confidentiality regarding high-profile clients and matters subject to nondisclosure obligations. Collaboration and Quality Control Work collaboratively with supervising attorneys, other contract attorneys, paralegals, case managers, and support personnel. Participate constructively in quality-control review. Accept substantive feedback and revise work appropriately. Assist colleagues when workload or case demands require collaboration. Treat every team member professionally, regardless of title. Contribute to a supportive and low-ego working environment. Timekeeping and Billing Maintain contemporaneous, accurate, and descriptive billing records. Enter billable activity into the firm’s designated system. Ensure entries are appropriate for client invoicing. Meet the expected target of approximately 160 approved billable hours per month. Revise billing entries when clarification or correction is required. Follow the firm’s billing, timekeeping, and quality-control procedures. Required Qualifications Active and good-standing license to practice law in Texas. Active admission to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Approximately two to five years of relevant civil litigation experience. Demonstrated experience managing civil matters beyond entry-level observation or research support. Business and real estate litigation experience. Trial, hearing, or meaningful courtroom experience. State and federal court filing experience. Strong legal research, drafting, analysis, and oral advocacy skills. Experience handling written discovery and depositions. Ability to independently manage cases and deadlines. Ability to produce approximately 160 approved billable hours per month. Ability to commit to a six-to-eight-month contract. Ability to attend proceedings in Harris, Fort Bend, and Brazoria Counties. Ability to report to the Houston office when required. Strong professional judgment and commitment to confidentiality. Willingness to work collaboratively with attorneys and support professionals. Openness to potential full-time employment after the contract period. Preferred Qualifications Broad exposure to multiple forms of civil litigation. Federal litigation experience in the Southern District of Texas. Construction litigation experience. Probate, estate planning, guardianship, or tax-law exposure. Experience with high-value or complex commercial disputes. Mediation and settlement-negotiation experience. Experience participating in trials as lead or second-chair counsel. Ability to adapt knowledge across business, property, family, probate, and related disputes. Experience working successfully in a remote or hybrid legal practice. Core Competencies Civil Litigation Federal Litigation Texas State Court Practice Southern District of Texas Business Litigation Real Estate Litigation Commercial Litigation Construction Litigation Trial Advocacy Legal Research Motion Practice Discovery Depositions Mediation Case Strategy Contract Disputes Court Appearances Client Counseling Legal Writing Billable-Hour Management Remote Legal Practice Confidentiality Collaborative Case Management Ideal Candidate Profile The ideal candidate: Has enough experience to manage cases without intensive mentoring. Remains adaptable and has not become limited to one narrow area of law. Understands state and federal litigation procedure. Produces polished written work and responds constructively to quality review. Can work independently while remaining accountable to the broader team. Treats paralegals, case managers, administrative staff, and other attorneys as valued colleagues. Communicates confidently with sophisticated or high-profile clients. Protects confidential financial, business, and personally identifiable information. Is comfortable with billable-hour compensation and disciplined time entry. Is willing to commit to the firm for at least six to eight months. Can attend court throughout the Greater Houston area. Is interested in practicing law through a collaborative and less traditional model. What Success Looks Like A successful Contract Civil Litigation Attorney will: Meet the monthly billable-hour expectation. Produce accurate, client-chargeable billing entries. Manage litigation deadlines without repeated reminders. Produce high-quality pleadings, motions, discovery, and legal analysis. Appear confidently in state and federal court. Maintain strong client communication. Collaborate successfully with attorneys and support staff. Adapt across different civil litigation matters. Protect confidential client information. Demonstrate sufficient quality, reliability, and cultural alignment to be considered for full-time employment. Non-Desirable Candidate Characteristics Likely Disqualifiers Not actively licensed and in good standing in Texas. Not admitted to the Southern District of Texas. Unable to attend court in the required counties. Located outside Greater Houston without realistic local availability. Unwilling to commit to at least six to eight months. Uncomfortable with 1099 contractor status. Expects payment for general availability rather than approved billable activity. Unable to meet the approximately 160-hour monthly billable expectation. No courtroom or trial experience. No relevant civil litigation background. Experience Concerns Newly licensed and requiring extensive supervision. Experience limited to one narrow practice area with no evidence of adaptability. Cannot explain personal responsibility for pleadings, discovery, hearings, depositions, or trial preparation. Has only performed document review or research without case ownership. Lacks business or real estate litigation exposure. Cannot explain the differences between Texas state and federal practice. Has poor billing discipline or cannot explain previous billable-hour requirements. Behavioral Red Flags Dismissive toward paralegals, case managers, or administrative personnel. Resistant to work-product review or constructive feedback. Unwilling to collaborate or assist colleagues. Demonstrates poor discretion concerning confidential information. Appears rigid, entitled, or overly hierarchical. Requires repeated reminders to complete work or enter time. Cannot communicate appropriately with clients during stressful disputes. Seeks a short transition assignment rather than a genuine six-to-eight-month commitment.