California - Labor & Employment Staff Attorney

Reed Smith LLP; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Reed Smith LLP seeks an experienced attorney to join our California Labor & Employment practice. This position offers significant opportunity to handle sophisticated litigation and counseling matters within a collaborative, high-performing practice.

The role may be fully remote, based in any of our California offices, or combine remote and in-office work. Candidates must have at least five years of California labor and employment experience, active California bar admission in good standing,

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of California labor and employment experience.
• Active California bar admission in good standing.
• Strong expertise in single-plaintiff litigation, PAGA, wage-and-hour matters, and class actions.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and matter-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Drafting motions and responding to discovery in single-plaintiff cases.
• Work on PAGA cases including notices, settlement, and court approvals.
• Wage-and-hour class action work including motions and damages modeling support.
• Counseling duties: drafting handbooks, policies, and compliance memos; review of severance agreements.

Skills

California labor & employment

Single-plaintiff litigation

PAGA

Wage-and-hour

Class actions

Legal research

Legal writing

Job description

Reed Smith seeks an experienced attorney to join our California Labor & Employment practice. This position offers significant opportunity to handle sophisticated litigation and counseling matters within a collaborative, high-performing practice. The role may be fully remote, based in any of our California offices, or combine remote and in-office work. Candidates must have at least five years of California labor and employment experience, active California bar admission in good standing, and strong expertise in single-plaintiff litigation, PAGA, wage-and-hour matters, and class actions. Excellent legal research, writing, and matter-management skills, sound judgment, and a collaborative approach are essential.

Working closely with supervising partners, the staff attorney will handle complex single-plaintiff litigation involving FEHA, Labor Code, and common law claims. The staff attorney will also work on Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), wage-and-hour, and class action assignments. A successful candidate will provide substantive input on work product and manage competing priorities while maintaining consistent quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

• In single plaintiff cases, drafting motions to dismiss/demurrers and answers; drafting and responding to discovery; preparing deposition outlines and assisting in the taking and defending of depositions; drafting motions to compel, mediation briefs, and motions for summary judgment; and supporting trial preparation.
• Work on PAGA cases includes analyzing LWDA notices and workforce data, calculating penalty exposure, assessing case scope and litigation-management issues, drafting settlement agreements, and overseeing the court approval process.
• Wage-and-hour class action work includes document and privilege review, drafting motions to compel arbitration, oppositions to class certification, overseeing the court approval process, and damages modeling support.
• Counseling responsibilities include drafting employee handbooks, policies, California compliance memoranda, and WARN Act notices, as well as reviewing and revising separation agreements and advising on employee leave and accommodation issues. The staff attorney will also prepare EEOC and California Civil Rights Department (formerly DFEH) position statements and responses to DLSE claims and EDD audits.

Pay Range: $160,000 - $220,000. This represents the presently-anticipated low and high end of Reed Smith’s pay range for this position. Actual pay may vary based on various factors, including but not limited to location and experience.