Defense Litigation Associate Attorney - Asbestos

Harris Beach Murtha; City of White Plains (NY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris Beach Murtha seeks an associate for its Mass Torts and Industry-Wide Litigation team, focused on national asbestos defense. The role offers collaboration across New York offices, exposure to high-level litigation strategy, and responsibility representing defendants in state and federal courts nationwide.

You will take and defend depositions, research complex issues, and draft pleadings, briefs, and motions, including summary judgment and discovery motions.

Qualifications

• 2+ years asbestos defense litigation required.
• Juris Doctor from ABA-accredited law school.
• Admission to the New York and New Jersey bars required.
• Familiarity with Zoom, MS Teams and other video platforms for depositions, court conferences, and hearings.

Responsibilities

• Take and defend depositions of plaintiffs and fact witnesses.
• Research legal, procedural, and scientific issues, and collaborate with senior attorneys on strategy.
• Draft responsive pleadings, memoranda, briefs, and significant motions including motions for summary judgment and discovery motions.
• Prepare reports to clients, including deposition reports, litigation status reports and case analysis reports.
• Represent clients at courtroom appearances, including oral argument of motions and discovery conferences (both in-person and virtually).
• Minimum annual billable hours: 1900.

Skills

Depositions

Legal research

Drafting pleadings

Motions

Client reporting

Courtroom appearances

Billable hours management

Education

Juris Doctor (ABA-accredited)

Bar admission: NY

Bar admission: NJ

Tools

Zoom

MS Teams

Job description

Location: Any Harris Beach Murtha office in New York State (Hybrid oppotunity)

Experience Level: 2+ years of asbestos defense litigation required

About the Role

Harris Beach Murtha is seeking an associate to join its growing Mass Torts and Industry-Wide Litigation team, with a particular focus on our national asbestos defense practice. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with experienced attorneys across multiple offices, engage in high-level litigation strategy, and take on meaningful responsibility representing defendants in a variety of industries in state and federal courts nationwide. The work is collaborative, fast‑paced, and provides hands‑on experience managing complex toxic tort matters.

The Defense Litigation Associate Will Have The Opportunity To

• Take and defend depositions of plaintiffs and fact witnesses
• Research legal, procedural, and scientific issues, and collaborate with senior attorneys on strategy
• Draft responsive pleadings, memoranda, briefs, and significant motions including motions for summary judgment and discovery motions
• Prepare reports to clients, including deposition reports, litigation status reports and case analysis reports
• Represent clients at courtroom appearances, including oral argument of motions and discovery conferences (both in-person and virtually)
• The firm requires a minimum of 1900 billable hours annually

Work Environment And Expectations

• A hybrid work opportunity in one (or several) of Harris Beach Murtha's New York offices
• Minimum annual billable requirement of 1900 hours
• Engagement in sophisticated, high‑stakes litigation on behalf of long‑standing clients

Applications Are Encouraged And Desired If You Have

• Admission to the New York AND New Jersey bars (required)
• Juris Doctor from ABA-accredited law school
• Familiarity with Zoom, MS Teams, and other video platforms for depositions, court conferences, and hearings
• Excellent research, writing, and verbal communication skills
• The ability to function effectively in a fast‑paced, team‑oriented environment
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities
• Demonstrated ability to rapidly absorb and analyze new information
• A high level of professionalism, conscientiousness, and responsibility
• A positive, flexible, and cooperative attitude
• Military experience welcome

Salary information below will vary depending upon relevant experience for the position and geographic locations.

Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, Rochester (Pittsford), Syracuse: $125,000 - $185,000

Long Island (Uniondale) and White Plains: $140,000 - $185,000

NYC: $145,000 - $185,000

Harris Beach Murtha is committed to an inclusive environment and we welcome applications from diverse candidates with varied background and skills, including military experience. Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About Harris Beach Murtha

Harris Beach Murtha formed in 2025 via the combination of Harris Beach PLLC and Murtha Cullina LLP. A forward-thinking and innovative partnership with the benefit of more than 250 years of combined history, Harris Beach Murtha’s New York roots reach back to 1856 and the firm has had ties to New England since 1936. Harris Beach and Murtha Cullina were separately among the country’s top law firms as ranked by The National Law Journal.

The firm’s lawyers and consultants practice from offices throughout Connecticut in Bantam, Hartford, New Haven and Stamford; New York state in Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Long Island and White Plains, as well as in Boston, Massachusetts and Newark, New Jersey.

The firm’s practice areas and industries served span appellate law, business litigation, commercial real estate, construction, corporate, environmental, energy, financial institutions, financial restructuring, government compliance and investigations, health care, immigration, intellectual property, labor and employment, mass torts, medical and life sciences, political law, product liability, public finance, tax, and trusts and estates.

The firm’s policy prohibiting unlawful discrimination applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, placement, assignment of duties, training, promotion, compensation & benefits and termination. It is the policy of Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC that all applicants and employees enjoy a positive, respectful and productive work environment, free from behavior, actions or language constituting unlawful harassment. Accordingly, harassment or discrimination of any kind based on an individual’s race or color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, carrier status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, creed, domestic violence victim status or any other legally protected status is strictly prohibited. Harris Beach Murtha complies with the provisions of the Human Rights Law, all other State and Federal statutory and constitutional non‑discrimination provisions including non‑discrimination on the basis of prior criminal conviction and prior arrest.