Description:

Gray, Duffy, Eisenbaum & Lee, LLP (GDEL) is a respected boutique litigation defense firm with offices in Woodland Hills and Redwood City. The firm focuses on civil litigation defense, with an emphasis on insurance defense, personal injury, construction defect, and employment litigation matters.

We are seeking a Mid-to-Senior Level Associate Attorney with strong civil litigation experience to join our litigation team. This role is designed for an attorney who can independently manage an active insurance defense caseload while continuing to develop advocacy skills in motion practice, discovery, depositions, and trial preparation in a fast-moving litigation environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to:

Independently managing assigned insurance defense and civil litigation matters through all stages of the case lifecycle, with appropriate partner oversight
Drafting pleadings, motions, discovery requests and responses, correspondence, and other litigation documents
Conducting legal research and preparing substantive analysis of procedural and substantive issues
Taking and defending depositions and handling court appearances, mediations, arbitrations, and other proceedings
Developing case strategy and managing discovery in coordination with supervising attorneys
Negotiating settlements and participating in resolution strategy throughout litigation
Communicating directly and professionally with clients, insurance carriers, opposing counsel, experts, court personnel, and colleagues
Ensuring compliance with applicable laws, court rules, ethical obligations, and firm policies
Performing additional duties as needed in support of client matters and firm operations

Performance Expectations

Maintain a minimum annual billable-hour requirement of 1,900 hours, subject to firm policies and business needs
Accurately and timely record all billable and non-billable time in accordance with firm and client billing requirements
Meet productivity, quality, and client service expectations established by the firm, including performance metrics that may be considered in connection with bonus eligibility

Qualifications:

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school
Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California
5–12 years of civil litigation experience, with significant insurance defense experience strongly preferred
Demonstrated experience in motion practice, discovery, depositions, and active case management in litigation matters
Strong legal research, writing, analytical, and problem-solving skills
Ability to independently manage multiple active matters and perform in a fast-paced litigation environment
Strong interpersonal and communication skills with a client-service orientation and professional demeanor
Trial experience or trial preparation experience is a plus

Compensation and Benefits:
Expected Salary Range: $150,000 to $200,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, qualifications, skills, education, business needs, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

Additional Compensation:
Eligibility for quarterly performance-based bonuses. Bonus eligibility and amounts are determined under the firm's bonus program and are based on performance metrics, including billable hours, productivity, quality of work, client service, and other job-related factors.