Employment Litigation Associate

plug-legal; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 260,000 - 365,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Elite Compensation

Family-building benefits (IVF/surrogacy)

Premium healthcare

Backup childcare

Career coaching for parents

Job summary

plug-legal is seeking a high-caliber Midlevel Employment & Trade Secret Associate (3–5+ years) in San Francisco or Palo Alto. This role involves representing clients in high-stakes litigation and providing strategic counseling to innovative companies.

The candidate should have a strong background in management-side employment litigation and possess excellent communication skills. Benefits include a competitive salary ranging from $260,000 to $365,000 and comprehensive wellness packages.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of management-side employment litigation and counseling experience.
• Meaningful experience with trade secret litigation and employee mobility issues.
• Active membership in the California State Bar is required.

Responsibilities

• Represent clients in complex disputes involving trade secrets and discrimination claims.
• Provide day-to-day advice on terminations and policy drafting.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on employment-related issues in M&A.

Skills

Superior oral and written communication skills

Ability to build strong interpersonal relationships

Education

Excellent academic credentials from a top-tier law school

Job description

Elevate your legal career by joining a uniquely broad and varied employment practice at the forefront of the global innovation hub. Our Firm is seeking a high-caliber Midlevel Employment & Trade Secret Associate (3–5+ years) to join our San Francisco or Palo Alto office. This is an elite opportunity to work with cutting‑edge clients - ranging from early‑stage startups to Fortune 500 giants -within a practice renowned for blending technical mastery with sophisticated advocacy in the technology, life science, and green energy sectors.

About the Role

As an Employment & Trade Secret Associate, you will serve as a strategic advisor to visionary companies navigating the high-stakes complexities of the modern workplace. You will manage a dynamic portfolio that transcends "cookie‑cutter" defense, balancing aggressive litigation with high-level corporate counseling. This role is designed for an ambitious practitioner who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and is ready to handle significant matters spanning trade secret misappropriation, employee mobility, and high-profile internal investigations.

Key Responsibilities

• High‑Stakes Litigation: Represent clients in complex disputes involving trade secrets, covenants not to compete, and high-profile harassment or discrimination claims.
• Strategic Counseling: Provide sophisticated day-to-day advice to fast-growing companies on terminations, leaves of absence, and policy drafting.
• Transactional Advocacy: Serve as a subject matter expert on employment-related issues in mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic corporate transactions.
• Employee Mobility: Navigate the intricate legal landscape of non-competes, non-solicitation, and intellectual property protection.
• Internal Investigations: Conduct and lead sensitive workplace investigations, providing actionable insights to C‑suite executives and key stakeholders.

Requirements

• Experience: 3–5+ years of management-side employment litigation and counseling experience.
• Technical Proficiency: Meaningful experience with trade secret litigation, employee mobility issues, and the employment mechanics of M&A deals.
• Bar Admission: Active membership in the California State Bar is required.
• Academic Background: Excellent academic credentials from a top-tier law school.
• Skills: Superior oral and written communication skills, and the ability to build strong interpersonal relationships with sophisticated clients.

Why This Opportunity?

• Innovation-Driven Practice: Work at the center of the Silicon Valley legal market, advising the companies that are defining the future of technology and cleantech.
• Dynamic Workload: Trade routine tasks for a varied practice where you might move from a spin‑out merger to a high-stakes brief in a single day.
• Elite Compensation: Competitive salary range of $260,000 – $365,000, based on year classification, with eligibility for discretionary merit bonuses.
• Comprehensive Wellness: Benefit from a world-class package including family-building benefits (IVF/surrogacy), premium healthcare, back‑up childcare, and extensive career coaching for parents.

Location / Working Model

• Location: Palo Alto or San Francisco, CA.
• Working Model: Our firm values the synergy of a collaborative environment and the mentorship of in‑person connection. This role offers a modern professional setting designed to support high-touch client service and the professional trajectory of elite legal practitioners.