Senior Litigation Paralegal

Job Description
Our client is seeking a Senior Litigation Paralegal for its Manhattan office. This senior, on-site position directly supports the firm's four full-time attorneys, and you will also guide and mentor one junior paralegal. Put simply, you will run the firm's paralegal function and elevate its standard.

This is genuine trial work rather than document review alone. The firm is gearing up for a significant federal trial anticipated in the first half of 2027, and motion practice is already in progress. You will help build and run that trial across every phase: pre-trial, trial, and post-trial.

Drafting legal arguments will not fall to you. What will be asked of you is clean, precise, error-free work product, the ability to spot mistakes across complex filings, and the discipline to keep every deliverable organized and delivered on time.

What the job entails

Trial support

• Deliver on-site support throughout trials, hearings, and depositions.
• Assemble trial exhibits, witness lists, and other trial materials.
• Take charge of exhibits, line up witnesses, and run courtroom technology.

Legal research

• Carry out legal research through Westlaw, LexisNexis, and PACER.

Case management

• Stay in close contact with clients, witnesses, experts, vendors, opposing counsel, and co-counsel.
• Keep case files current and complete, spanning pleadings, discovery documents, correspondence, expert reports, and exhibits.
• Construct and monitor case timelines, calendars, and deadlines so that nothing is overlooked.
• Support the attorneys in organizing and steering matters from the first day to the last.

Supervision and quality control

• Hold quality and consistency to a high standard across everything the team produces.
• Coach and train the junior paralegal.

Documents and court filings

• Submit filings in state and federal court while observing every court rule and e-filing requirement.
• Handle Bluebooking and cite-checking of briefs, and put together tables of contents and tables of authorities.
• Draft, proofread, and revise legal documents such as pleadings, motions, briefs, affidavits, and sentencing memos.
• Set up and maintain electronic document databases, keeping each file confidential and easy to locate.

Time recording

• Log your hours each day in the firm's practice management software.

Discovery and investigation

• Direct document review, often spanning sizable volumes of data.
• Prepare memos, correspondence, charts, and research summaries.
• Lend a hand with discovery requests, both preparing and responding, including document productions and interrogatories.

Why this role

• With the position classified as non-exempt, overtime worked during demanding trial stretches is paid, and a year-end bonus is offered as well.
• You will work shoulder to shoulder with nationally recognized trial lawyers on serious, high-profile matters.
• You will occupy a senior seat, head the paralegal function, and expand into wider case and people management as the firm's workload grows.
• You will belong to a true team. Whenever a filing is due, the attorney responsible is right there in the office and stays put until it is complete.
• You will be doing hands-on trial work rather than purely back-office support.

Work Environment

• Trial preparation and trial bring considerable overtime and the occasional weekend. This is no nine-to-five role, and you should come ready for that reality.
• Fully on-site at the firm's Manhattan office, with no remote or hybrid option on the table.
• Routine travel is light. Trials may call for trips to and from courthouses, occasionally with little notice.
• Core hours run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Requirements

• Solid Bluebook and cite-checking ability, along with experience building tables of contents and tables of authorities.
• Practical litigation and trial experience that covers both preparation and execution. This reaches into motion practice support, sentencing memos, exhibit management, witness coordination, and e-filing.
• A bachelor's degree.
• First-rate proofreading, a keen eye for detail, and strong written communication. You turn out clean, error-free legal documents and catch slips across complex filings.
• Paralegal experience gained at a large law firm.
• Comfort backing the defense of clients who face serious criminal charges, including matters tied to sexual assault and sex trafficking.
• Familiarity with New York state and federal court filings and procedures, the Southern District of New York (SDNY) among them.
• A firm sense of ownership. You produce accurate work and do not lean on constant oversight.
• Command of Westlaw, LexisNexis, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and legal practice management software.
• The ability to oversee and mentor a junior paralegal while sustaining high quality across every deliverable.
• Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Composure under pressure and the ability to hit tight deadlines, including long hours through trial preparation and trial.
• Readiness to work on-site in Manhattan, with overtime, the odd weekend, and short-notice courthouse travel when called for.

Preferred

• Familiarity with California court formatting and filing.
• A bachelor's degree from a competitive university, and/or a paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program.
• Exposure to eDiscovery and litigation tools such as Relativity, CaseMap/TimeMap, West Case Notebook, and PACER.
• Between 5 and 7 years of professional paralegal experience.
• A background in criminal defense or white-collar criminal defense.
• A healthy sense of humor.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Base salary ranging from $90,000 to $120,000 per year, set according to experience.
• A year-end performance bonus.
• Because the role is non-exempt, overtime is paid.
• 10 days of paid time off (PTO).
• A 401(k) plan is in the works and is expected to be in place by the end of 2026.
• 5 paid sick days.

Haldren is a recruitment agency that provides services to clients ranging from startups and non profits to multinational corporations. Haldren emphasizes ethical search processes, attentive candidate care, and leadership placements that support long-term client outcomes.

To learn more about the firm and about our candidate services - please visit

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Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Both Haldren and our clients are Equal Opportunity Employers. For all positions, whether with Haldren or our clients, qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, skin color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected status.

Commitment to Diversity: Haldren and its clients are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment where all individuals are valued and respected.

Reasonable Accommodations: Both Haldren and our clients are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and pregnant individuals. We engage in an interactive process to determine effective, reasonable accommodations.

Compensation Information: For client positions, compensation information is available in the job post. If not provided, it will be shared during the interview process in accordance with applicable laws. When required by law, salary ranges will be included in job postings. Actual salary may depend on skills, experience, and comparison to current employees in similar roles. Salary ranges may vary based on role and location.

Compliance with Laws: Both Haldren and our clients comply with federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all employment terms and conditions, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Workplace Harassment: Both Haldren and our clients expressly prohibit any form of workplace harassment based on race, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

E-Verify Participation: Haldren and/or our clients may participate in E-Verify. Information about E-Verify participation will be provided during the application process where applicable.

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Colorado, Nevada, New York City, California, and Washington Residents: Compensation information is available in the job post or will be provided during the interview process if not initially available.

Both Haldren and our clients are committed to pay equity and conduct periodic pay equity analyses in accordance with applicable laws.

State-Specific Information:

Rhode Island: We do not request or require salary history from applicants.

Connecticut: We provide wage range information upon request or before discussing compensation.

New Jersey: We do not inquire about salary history unless voluntarily disclosed.

Veteran Status: Both Haldren and our clients provide equal employment opportunities to veterans and comply with applicable state laws regarding veteran preference in employment. If you are a veteran, please inform us during the application process.

Genetic Information: In accordance with federal and state laws, both Haldren and our clients do not discriminate based on genetic information. We do not request or require genetic information from applicants or employees, except as permitted by law.

Local Laws: Both Haldren and our clients comply with all applicable local laws and ordinances regarding employment practices in the areas where we operate.

Haldren and our clients may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the recruitment and candidate evaluation process. These tools are used exclusively to support human decision-making by helping to review and assess candidate qualifications and materials. AI is never used to automatically reject, disqualify, or make final hiring decisions about candidates. All AI-assisted evaluations are reviewed by experienced recruitment professionals, and all hiring decisions are made by qualified human recruiters. Our use of AI is designed to enhance fairness, consistency, and efficiency while maintaining our commitment to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination principles.

Note: This job posting may be for a position with Haldren or one of our clients. The specific employer will be identified during the application and interview process. Employment laws and requirements may vary depending on the employer and location.