Employment Litigation Associate

Morningstar Law Group; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Morningstar Law Group in Durham, NC seeks an Employment Litigation Associate with 3–5 years of experience to join our team. You will defend employers in state and federal courts, manage depositions, motions, and discovery, and work directly with partners in a fast-paced practice.

We support hands-on development and offer flexible work options, plus a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, holidays, and ongoing education.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school with excellent academic credentials.
• 3–5 years of litigation experience with strong foundational skills in pleadings, motions, discovery, and depositions.
• Licensed in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; must become licensed in North Carolina within one year.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
• Strong references from past or current supervising attorneys.

Responsibilities

• Defend employers in state and federal court litigation involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other workforce claims.
• Litigate wage and hour disputes under the FLSA and related state/local laws.
• Handle disputes involving non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, and trade secret matters.
• Draft pleadings, dispositive and discovery motions, briefs, and discovery requests/responses.
• Take and defend depositions of parties, witnesses, and experts.
• Manage discovery including document collection, review, production, and coordination with e‑discovery vendors.
• Represent employers in agency investigations and proceedings (EEOC, DOL, OSHA, unemployment).</li>
• Represent clients in arbitration before FINRA, AAA, JAMS, and other providers.
• Conduct legal research and prepare clear, well‑supported analysis and client communications.
• Counsel clients on litigation strategy, risk, and resolution options including mediation.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Oral advocacy

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Tools

e-discovery platforms

Job description

We are seeking an Employment Litigation Associate with 3–5 years of litigation experience to join our Durham, NC office. You’ll work directly with the partners in our employment litigation practice defending local, regional, national, and international employers in state and federal courts, before administrative agencies, and in arbitration. We believe the best way to develop strong litigators is to put them in the room. Depositions, motion practice, and direct client contact come early and often, calibrated to what you demonstrate rather than how long you have been with the firm.

Our employment litigators handle disputes spanning discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims; wage and hour litigation; restrictive covenant and trade secret matters; and agency investigations from the EEOC to the Department of Labor. Prior employment litigation experience is welcome but not required. A strong foundation in business litigation tends to translate well, and we are committed to supporting your development in employment law.

This position is based in our Durham office. We welcome applications from candidates outside the Triangle who have concrete plans to relocate to the area within a defined timeframe.

Key Responsibilities

• Defend employers in state and federal court litigation involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other workforce claims
• Litigate wage and hour disputes under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state and local wage payment laws
• Handle disputes involving non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, and other workforce-related agreements, as well as trade secret misappropriation and employee duty-of-loyalty claims
• Draft pleadings, dispositive and discovery motions, briefs, and discovery requests and responses
• Take and defend depositions of parties, witnesses, and experts
• Manage discovery, including document collection, review, and production, and coordination with e‑discovery vendors
• Represent employers in agency investigations and proceedings, including EEOC investigations, Department of Labor audits, OSHA inspections, and unemployment determinations
• Represent clients in arbitration before FINRA, AAA, JAMS, and other arbitration providers
• Conduct legal research and prepare clear, well‑supported analysis and client communications
• Counsel clients on litigation strategy, risk, and resolution options, including mediation and settlement

Required Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school with excellent academic credentials
• 3–5 years of litigation experience with strong fundamental litigation skills, including drafting pleadings and motions, managing discovery, and taking or defending depositions
• Licensed in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; must become licensed in North Carolina within one year
• Excellent legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills
• Strong references from past or current supervising attorneys

Preferred Qualifications

• Employment litigation experience (substantial business or commercial litigation experience will also be considered)
• Judicial clerkship experience
• Experience with e‑discovery platforms

Why Join Morningstar Law Group?

• Substantive Work, Early: Real ownership of cases and direct, day-to-day work with partners — with first-chair opportunities commensurate with demonstrated competency.
• Collaborative Culture: A collegial, low-bureaucracy environment governed by consensus, where attorneys work with clients in the way that’s most productive for them.
• Mentorship and Growth: Genuine professional development with increasing responsibility as the firm grows.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: A firm built by attorneys who set out to practice law a different way — lean, efficient, and driven by initiative and innovation.
• Flexibility: We highly value collaboration and believe skill and relationship development happens in person, but we offer flexibility to work from home — being in the office five days a week is not required.
• Compensation and Benefits: A compensation package that is competitive and commensurate with experience, plus a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement plan; paid time off and holidays; and support for continuing education.