Employment Litigation Attorney

Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Business Origination Bonus

401k Contributions by the Firm

100% Paid Health Insurance for Associate

Paid Life Insurance

Wellness Benefit Reimbursement

Firm-Sponsored CLE

Job summary

Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP in San Diego is looking for a driven Employment Litigation Attorney — Associate. This role demands defending employer clients in various employment matters while providing real mentorship and client relationships.

The ideal candidate has a J.D. from an ABA accredited law school, active California bar admission, and 3+ years of litigation experience, preferably in employment law. The firm offers competitive salaries, bonuses, and comprehensive health insurance.

Qualifications

• 3 or more years of litigation experience, employment law background strongly preferred.
• Comfortable handling court appearances, depositions, and mediations.
• Trial experience preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Defend clients in employment-related claims including discrimination and wrongful termination.
• Investigate claims and defenses, analyze liability and develop case handling strategies.
• Draft letters, memos, motions, and pleadings.
• Prepare discovery requests and responses.
• Take and defend depositions.
• Represent clients at court conferences, hearings, and trial.

Skills

Excellent legal writing

Strong attention to detail

Effective oral communication skills

Self-starter

Strong organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

J.D. from an ABA accredited law school

Active California bar admission

Job description

San Diego Employment Litigation Attorney — Associate

$145,000 – $200,000 DOE

The Opportunity

Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead (LBBK) is looking for driven employment litigation attorneys to join our growing San Diego team. This is not a document review role or a seat at a firm where you will spend years waiting for real work. From day one, you will be in the mix, defending employer clients in single plaintiff employment matters, running depositions, arguing motions, and building direct relationships with clients who count on you.

We are open to all experience levels. Whether you are a third-year associate looking for a platform that will actually develop you, or a seasoned litigator ready for a firm that will get out of your way and let you do the work, we want to hear from you.

Who We Are

LBBK is a certified female-owned litigation firm with offices across California. We are proud to have been recognized multiple times as one of the Best Places to Work by the San Diego Business Journal, and we do not take that lightly. Our team is collaborative, high-performing, and genuinely enjoys what they do. We are not a revolving door. The attorneys who join us tend to stay, grow, and build their careers here.

We defend California employers across the full spectrum of employment litigation, from single plaintiff claims in court and arbitration to administrative charges and wage and hour matters. Our clients are sophisticated businesses that rely on us as true partners, and our attorneys get the kind of client access and responsibility that you typically only find at much smaller firms.

What We Offer

• Base salary between $145,000 and $200,000 depending on experience
• Annual Business Origination Bonus
• Annual Objective Bonus for hours billed over 1,850
• Annual 401k Contributions by the Firm
• Annual Profit-Sharing Contributions by the Firm
• 100% Paid Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision) for Associate
• Paid Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Wellness Benefit Reimbursement
• Cell Phone and Internet Stipend
• Paid Maternity, Paternity, Catastrophic Disability, Bereavement, and Jury Duty Leave
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Health Care and Dependent Care
• Paid and Firm-Sponsored CLE
• Employee Assistance Program

What You Will Do

• Defend clients in a broad range of employment-related claims including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and leave-related matters
• Investigate claims and defenses, analyze liability and damages, and develop case handling strategies
• Draft letters, memos, motions, and pleadings
• Prepare discovery requests and responses
• Take and defend depositions
• Represent clients at court conferences, hearings, mediations, and trial and arbitration
• Communicate regularly with partners, associates, paralegals, clients, and opposing counsel
• Meet an 1,850 annual billable hour requirement

What We Are Looking For

• J.D. from an ABA accredited law school
• Active California bar admission in good standing
• 3 or more years of litigation experience, employment law background strongly preferred
• Excellent legal writer with strong attention to detail
• Effective oral communication skills
• Self-starter with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage a busy caseload
• Team player with exceptional interpersonal skills and responsiveness
• Comfortable handling court appearances, depositions, and mediations
• Trial experience preferred but not required

Why LBBK

We are a firm that invests in our people. You will get real mentorship, real client relationships, and real responsibility. If you are looking for a long-term home where you can build a meaningful career in employment defense litigation alongside people who are genuinely good at what they do and enjoy doing it, we would love to connect.