DWTSurge Contract Litigation Attorney (Remote – California)

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP; California; Remote; USD 172,000 - 207,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

First Stop Health Telemedicine

EAP program

Pet Insurance

Milk Stork

Peloton App

Headspace App

Job summary

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP seeks a California-admitted litigation attorney for its DWTSurge contract program. The role is fully remote within California, offering 30-35 hours per week on an initial six-month term with a strong chance of renewal.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years of litigation experience, with 8+ years encouraged. Responsibilities include drafting pleadings, discovery, motions, and coordinating case management while maintaining high client service and independent, collaborative work.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of litigation experience in a mid-sized or large law firm.
• Residency and an active admission to practice law in California.
• Admission to one or more federal district courts in California preferred.
• Experience handling day-to-day litigation responsibilities, including drafting pleadings, written discovery, motions, case management filings, and related tasks.
• Ability to manage multiple active matters and deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Availability for 30-35 hours per week with flexibility to increase hours as needed.

Responsibilities

• Manage discovery, draft pleadings and motions.
• Coordinate case management obligations and filings.
• Support broader litigation strategy and case execution.
• Collaborate with lawyers and staff to meet objectives.
• Maintain high organization and attention to detail while meeting deadlines.

Skills

Litigation experience

CA bar admission

CA federal courts

Pleadings drafting

Discovery management

Case management

Remote work

Client service

Job description

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is seeking a California-admitted litigation attorney for engagement through the firm’s contract attorney and alternative staffing program, DWTSurge. This contract attorney position will work with the Firm’s litigation practice group supporting ongoing litigation matters for institutional clients in California. The role is fully remote, and candidates may be located anywhere within California.

We are seeking attorneys with at least 5+ years of litigation experience, and candidates with 8+ years of experience are encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will have strong day-to-day litigation experience, including managing discovery, drafting pleadings and motions, coordinating case management obligations, and supporting broader litigation strategy and case execution. Experience with tort litigation and/or product liability matters is helpful but not required for the role. The matters are highly structured, and attorneys will have access to precedent materials, templates, and training resources.

Attorneys should be highly organized with strong case management skills and will be required to regularly manage multiple matters with competing deadlines. Attorneys should be able to work independently, efficiently, and exercise good judgment, but should also collaborate easily with lawyers and support staff to meet discrete litigation objectives within short deadlines.

This contract position offers the flexibility of remote work and a reduced-hours schedule, averaging 30–35 hours per week. While the engagement is for an initial 6-month contract term, we anticipate the work to remain relatively steady and there is a high possibility of renewal of the contract position for successful candidates. We are looking for attorneys interested in establishing a long-term working relationship with the Firm.

The Ideal Candidate will have:

• 5+ years of litigation experience in a mid-sized or large law firm and/or with large institutional clients.
• Residency and an active admission to practice law in California.
• Admission to one or more federal district courts in California preferred.
• Experience handling day-to-day litigation responsibilities, including drafting pleadings, written discovery, motions, case management filings, and related litigation tasks.
• Experience with tort litigation and/or product liability matters preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple active matters and deadlines with minimal supervision.
• High level of responsiveness and client service abilities. Confidence managing deadlines and effective communication with clients about deadlines.
• Availability for an average of 30-35 hours per week, with the flexibility to increase hours as needed.
• Ability to work remotely and support West Coast hours.
• Excellent legal drafting, writing, communication, and organizational skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to produce high-quality work product efficiently and with minimal supervision.

Please note that this is a temporary contract position managed by DWT’s flexible attorney and professional staff program, DWTSurge. Compensation will be paid on an hourly basis, commensurate with experience and skill level (see below). This role may be eligible for some benefits. Due to the structure of the DWTSurge program, DWTSurge employees are not eligible for the firm’s pro bono, DEI, and other activities or opportunities outside of the above stated scope of work. We are interested in candidates electing to pursue a more flexible way of providing continuous, high-value legal services to the firm and our clients.

Salary Range

The hourly range for this position in CA is $125 to $150 per hour. Actual pay will be adjusted based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law.

Additional benefits include:

• First Stop Health Telemedicine: Speak with a licensed physician or mental health counselor 24/7, covered by the firm
• TELUS Health Employee Assistance Program: Receive support with mental, financial, physical, and emotional wellbeing
• Voluntary Pet Insurance
• Milk Stork: Virtual lactation consulting, breast milk shipping and nutritional testing covered by the firm
• Peloton App
• Headspace App

CALIFORNIA STATE

Paid sick leave is accrued on a biweekly basis at a rate of 1 hour per 30 hours worked.

We are an AmLaw 100 law firm with nine offices nationwide. We are relentlessly committed to client service and look for candidates who share that commitment. At DWT, client service means having empathy for each client’s and each lawyer’s work and personal pressures, business objectives, and legal needs; anticipating their needs; and having the capabilities and commitment to deliver what matters most to them.

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP embraces diversity, equity and inclusion. It brings out the best of what each individual has to offer and inspires us to build strong and lasting connections with each other, our clients, and our communities.

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP fosters a culture where all talented individuals—including those who are traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession—can have, and can see, paths to success. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion sits on four pillars: Community, Growth, Education, and Engagement. Learn more about the firm’s commitment to DEI here: www.dwt.com/dei.

In order to support our effort to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive law firm, we request that you voluntarily provide demographic data. All self-reported demographic information is stored securely in a manner that is compliant with DWT’s privacy and security policies and is only accessible by authorized members of the Talent Acquisition and HR Departments; it is not shared with any of the hiring decision-makers.

It is our policy to hire, promote, transfer, terminate, and make all other employment-related decisions without regard to an employee’s sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical condition), race, color, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, religious creed, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, medical condition, military or veteran status or any other basis prohibited by applicable local, state, or federal laws. To review our Anti-Harassment Policy, click on this URL, https://www.dwt.com/-/media/files/policyagainstharassmentdiscrimination.pdf?la=en&hash=66A1B0095748A5E76B0B8A00773F5246.

As an equal opportunity employer, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP values the diversity of our work force and the knowledge of our personnel. Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) for specialty occupation petitions are displayed electronically in accordance with notice requirements pursuant to U.S. Department of Labor regulations, and public access files are available pursuant to regulation. See 20 CFR § 655.734, 655.760.

Davis Wright Tremaine provides reasonable accommodations for those who need them to complete the application or recruiting process and for employees who need reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their positions due to a disability or for religious reasons. If you need to request accommodation during the application or recruiting process, please email [e-mail].