Associate Attorney – Litigation | Austin

Whitehead & Wilson PLLC; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Whitehead & Wilson PLLC in Austin is building its litigation team and seeking associates with approximately 2–4 years of substantive litigation experience. You will not be hidden in a large case team; you’ll own significant portions of matters, master facts, craft strategy, and deliver polished work under partners Stewart Whitehead and Blake Wilson.

Excellent writing is central to our practice. You’ll take first-draft ownership of briefs, motions, pleadings, discovery, and research memos, while

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of substantive litigation experience
• Strong legal writing and editing skills
• Ability to draft briefs, motions, pleadings, and discovery documents
• Experience handling document-intensive matters and developing the factual record
• Excellent analytical and research abilities, with attention to detail

Responsibilities

• Take first-draft ownership of briefs, motions, pleadings, discovery, research memoranda, correspondence, and other substantive work product
• Dig into documents and evidence, research difficult legal questions, and develop the factual record
• Manage discovery and help shape case strategy
• Interact directly with clients and experts, and participate in depositions, hearings, and motion practice
• Contribute to a rigorous, thoughtful, and persuasive written advocacy

Skills

Litigation experience

Legal writing

Legal research

Briefs & pleadings

Discovery management

Client interaction

Education

J.D. from accredited law school

Job description

Whitehead & Wilson PLLC is building its litigation team in Austin. Founded by experienced litigation partners Stewart Whitehead and Blake Wilson, the firm handles significant construction, real estate, and business disputes throughout Texas and beyond.

We’re looking for associates with approximately 2–4 years of litigation experience who are ready for more—more ownership of their work, more direct involvement in significant matters, and more opportunity to help drive a case forward.

This is not a role where an associate disappears into a large case team.

You’ll work alongside Stewart and Blake on sophisticated matters and take real ownership of the work. That means mastering the facts, thinking critically about strategy and legal issues, exercising judgment, and producing work that has an impact on the case.

Excellent writing is central to the practice.

You’ll take first-draft ownership of briefs, motions, pleadings, discovery, research memoranda, correspondence, and other substantive work product. You’ll dig into documents and evidence, research difficult legal questions, develop the factual record, manage discovery, and understand how each piece of the work fits into the larger strategy.

We care about the words “first draft.” We’re not looking for someone simply to execute assignments. We want lawyers who ask the next question, spot the issue that wasn’t obvious, exercise judgment, and hand a partner something thoughtful, polished, and ready to build on.

And the job gets bigger as you do.

You’ll come in with experience. We want you to use it. The scope of the role grows from there—with greater involvement in case strategy, direct interaction with clients and experts, depositions, hearings and motion practice, and meaningful roles in mediation, arbitration, and trial preparation.

What you’ve already learned matters. So does what you’re ready to take on next.

What makes someone successful here

Excellent writing is essential. So are intellectual curiosity, judgment, initiative, attention to detail, and a willingness to dig deeply into a problem.

We’re looking for someone who cares whether the argument is actually persuasive—not merely whether the brief is finished. Someone who welcomes substantive feedback and brings a point of view to the work. Someone who can own an assignment without losing sight of the larger case.

Construction litigation experience is welcome, but it isn’t required. Strong litigation fundamentals matter more.

Ideally, you bring:

• Approximately 2–4 years of substantive litigation experience
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills
• Experience drafting briefs, motions, pleadings, discovery, and other litigation documents
• Experience working through document-intensive matters and developing a factual record
• Strong attention to detail and pride in your work product
• Sound judgment, initiative, and a willingness to take increasing ownership
• Texas Bar admission or eligibility for prompt admission

Why Whitehead & Wilson

Stewart Whitehead and Blake Wilson founded Whitehead & Wilson to build a sophisticated litigation practice with the focus and direct involvement of a boutique.

The firm may be new, but the practice behind it is not. Stewart and Blake bring decades of experience handling significant disputes at leading Texas firms, along with established client relationships and a substantial litigation practice.

And they’re building Whitehead & Wilson deliberately. For an associate joining now, that creates something unusual: the opportunity to join an established practice at the beginning of a new firm—to contribute, grow with it, and help shape what comes next.

Location: Austin, Texas