Litigation Paralegal

Position Summary Join our esteemed team as a Litigation Paralegal. You'll play a pivotal role in supporting our restaurant's legal framework, particularly litigation portfolio management, service of process, outside counsel coordination, litigation strategy, and exposure management. This position is ideal for an experienced paralegal with a passion for the food service industry and a keen interest in managing litigation, reducing legal risk, and supporting the company's dispute-resolution strategy. Key Responsibilities Litigation Portfolio Management: Own and maintain Fogo's centralized litigation and claims portfolio, including all active, threatened, and newly filed matters. Track matter status, discovery obligations, settlement posture, next steps, responsible parties, and outside counsel assignments. Claims Intake and Triage: Serve as the first-line intake and triage point for lawsuits, demand letters, subpoenas, pre-suit claims, guest incidents and other potential litigation matters. Determine urgency, identify required internal stakeholders, and coordinate immediate next steps. Service of Process and Legal Notices: Serve as the notice point for service of process and other formal legal notices. Log, calendar, and distribute documentation promptly to the appropriate departments, restaurant teams, and outside counsel. Outside Counsel Management: Act as the primary day-to-day liaison with outside counsel on litigation matters. Strategy, Exposure, and Cost Reduction: Drive litigation strategy discussions in coordination with the Legal Department and outside counsel. Legal Operations and Reporting: Build and maintain litigation trackers, reporting processes, and workflows to support a disciplined litigation management function and provide Legal Department leadership and business stakeholders with clear visibility into active matters, exposure, and overall litigation risk. Discovery and Document Management: Manage litigation holds, document preservation, discovery coordination, subpoenas, internal fact gathering, and evidence collection for litigation and claim defense. Settlement and Resolution Support: Coordinate settlement, payment processing, and closure of resolved matters. Outside Counsel Billing and Budget Oversight: Review outside counsel invoices and adherence to billing guidelines. Track matter budgets and recommend cost-control measures. Research Monitoring: Monitor litigation trends and regulatory developments affecting the restaurant and hospitality industries. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Legal Studies, Paralegal Studies, Business, or a related field. Paralegal certificate, Certified Paralegal (CP), Certified Legal Assistant (CLA), or comparable credential preferred. Minimum of five to seven years of paralegal experience, with substantial litigation experience required. Experience working in-house, in a restaurant/hospitality, retail, multi-unit, franchise, or consumer-facing business environment strongly preferred. Demonstrated expertise in labor and employment litigation, civil litigation, claims management, and other disputes commonly affecting restaurant, hospitality, or multi-unit retail businesses. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, legal billing systems, and legal research tools. Experience with Smartsheet is a plus. Competencies Functional Knowledge: Applies strong litigation, claims management, discovery, subpoena, legal notice, and legal operations knowledge to manage matters accurately, improve workflows, and support timely business and legal decisions. Teamwork and Collaboration: Builds trust with Legal, HR, Risk, Operations, restaurant teams, outside counsel, and other partners by communicating clearly, following through on commitments, and working across functions to move matters forward. Decision Making: Uses sound judgment to prioritize sensitive, urgent, or complex legal matters; identifies when escalation is needed; and recommends practical next steps based on facts, risk, deadlines, and business impact. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Identifies root causes, analyzes matter trends, organizes complex information, and develops process improvements that strengthen litigation management, reduce risk, and support #J-18808-Ljbffr