Labor & Employment Associate

Role Summary

Our client, a well-established litigation firm, is seeking a Labor and Employment Associate with 3-7 years of defense-side employment litigation experience to join its growing team.

This role offers the opportunity to work on a broad range of employment defense matters, including single-plaintiff cases, PAGA actions, and class actions. The position provides significant hands-on litigation experience, including discovery, motion practice, depositions, arbitration, and trial exposure.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative attorney seeking long-term career development within a structured and team-oriented environment, with direct access to partners and active case strategy involvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day handling of employment defense litigation matters, including single-plaintiff cases, PAGA claims, and class actions.
• Conduct all phases of discovery, including drafting motions, taking and defending depositions, and managing case strategy.
• Participate in arbitration and trial preparation, with opportunities for second-chair and increased responsibility over time.
• Advise employer clients on a range of employment law issues.
• Collaborate directly with partners on case strategy and litigation execution.
• Support end-to-end case management from intake through resolution.

Required Qualifications

• 3-7 years of post-bar litigation experience in California employment law.
• Defense-side experience required (plaintiff-side experience will not be considered).
• Strong proficiency in discovery, motion practice, and case management.
• Experience with employment litigation matters, including exposure to PAGA and/or class actions (strongly preferred).
• Excellent written and verbal advocacy skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple active matters.
• Team-oriented mindset with a commitment to long-term professional development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience handling PAGA litigation and/or class action matters.
• Experience participating in arbitration or trial proceedings.
• Background in a mid-size or boutique litigation firm environment.
• Interest in long-term growth within a structured litigation practice.

Compensation & Work Model

• Base Salary: $150,000 - $215,000, commensurate with experience.
• Equity: Competitive equity participation.
• Work Model: Hybrid arrangement with office presence required in Southern California (minimum in-office expectation varies by office location).
• Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement plan options, and paid time off.

Growth Opportunity

This is a litigation-focused role within a growing employment law practice offering substantial hands-on experience in arbitration and trial work.

The firm provides structured mentorship, increasing responsibility over time, and a clear path for long-term advancement within the organization.