Experienced Defense Paralegal

Zimmerman Kiser Sutcliffe; Orlando (FL); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k with partial match

PTO

Hybrid work flexibility

Parking

Gym membership

Job summary

Zimmerman Kiser Sutcliffe (ZKS LAW) in downtown Orlando seeks an experienced Personal Injury Litigation Defense Paralegal to join our collaborative team. You will handle significant civil defense matters from discovery through trial with seven-plus years of substantive experience.

The role requires in-depth knowledge of Florida Rules of Civil Procedure and strong coordination with attorneys, experts, and vendors in a fast-paced environment. Hybrid work options after an introductory period.

Qualifications

• 7-10+ years of defense experience as a personal injury or civil defense paralegal.
• Plaintiff-side experience valued but not a substitute for defense experience.
• Current knowledge of changes in laws and regulations relevant to personal injury defense.

Responsibilities

• Handle high-volume caseload.
• Anticipate discovery issues and bring to attention.
• Draft proposed discovery responses and subpoenas.
• Prepare documents for production.
• Coordinate expert/attorney conferences and prepare packages.
• Gather client documents and verification pages.
• Prepare witness and exhibit lists.
• Prepare exhibits and objections.

Skills

Medical chronology

Non-party production

Florida Rules of Civil Procedure

Medical terminology

Medical billing

PI claim basics

Liability analysis

Damages analysis

Expert coordination

Vendor communications

Outlook calendar

LexisNexis

Sunbiz

Education

High school or equivalent

Paralegal certificate

Tools

Juris

LexisNexis

Sunbiz

Job description

Job Title: Personal Injury Litigation Defense Paralegal

Schedule: Monday-Friday; Day Shift

Salary Range: $82,000 - $87,000 annually (commensurate with experience)

Reports to: Supervising Attorneys

Date:September 9, 2026

Job Description

Firm Description:

Zimmerman Kiser Sutcliffe, ZKS LAW, has served Central Florida for more than 40 years and has been recognized as an Orlando Sentinel Top Workplace for more than a decade. Many ZKS employees have built long careers here. Our paralegals are trusted members of their litigation teams who work directly with experienced attorneys on significant matters from discovery through trial. This is an opportunity for an experienced defense litigation paralegal who wants sophisticated work without sacrificing the advantages of a stable, collegial law firm.

What ZKS Offers:

ZKS offers competitive compensation, an exceptional total reward benefits package including firm-paid health, life, and LTD insurance, PTO, covered downtown parking, 401k with partial match, profit-sharing, gym membership, hybrid work flexibility following a successful introductory period, and all at a firm that values a healthy workplace culture.http://www.zkslawfirm.com

Summary:

ZKS LAW has an immediate opening for a full-time paralegal based in downtown Orlando for a Personal Injury Litigation Defense Paralegal with seven or more years of substantive civil litigation paralegal experience, including significant recent insurance/personal injury defense experience; 10+ years strongly preferred. The supervising attorneys handle diverse, high-exposure personal injury and civil defense matters. This position will serve as a key member of a collaborative litigation team, partnering with multiple attorneys to independently manage significant aspects of cases from discovery through trial.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Handle high volume caseload
• Anticipate discovery issues and/or potential evidentiary issues to discuss with attorney or bring to their attention
• Draft proposed discovery responses, non-party subpoenas
• Identify and prepare proposed documents for production
• Coordinate expert/attorney conferences and prepare expert packages
• Gather client documents and interrogatory verification pages
• Prepare proposed witness and exhibit lists
• Prepare proposed exhibits and proposed objections

Qualifications:

ZKS LAW is looking for a Paralegal who has proven abilities in these areas:

• Drafting medical chronology and timelines
• Successfully procuring non-party production
• Must know Florida Rules of Civil Procedure
• Medical Terminology
• Medical Billing
• The basic elements of a Personal Injury Claim (liability and damages)
• Identifying facts that would support or weaken client’s liability position
• Identifying facts that would support or weaken the Plaintiff’s damage claim
• Communicating and coordinating all aspects of expert retention and preparation
• Communicating with outside vendors
• Microsoft Outlook calendar management
• Lexis Nexis and Sunbiz

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Work well under pressure/stress
• Multi-task and set priorities
• Work well with others, communicates proactively, effectively, and in a team-spirited manner
• Work for 3 or more attorneys on multiple projects with multiple deadlines

Education and Experience:

• 7-10+ years of defense experience as a personal injury or civil defense paralegal.
• Plaintiff-side experience is valued as complementary experience but does not substitute for defense litigation experience.
• Current knowledge of changes in laws and regulations relevant to personal injury defense.
• In-depth knowledge of personal injury defense laws and procedures is preferred.
• Familiarity with ATO (Client Profiles), Juris, LexisNexis, and Sunbiz a plus.
• High school or equivalent (required).
• Paralegal certificate (preferred).

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Must commit to on-site work during trial preparation and trial.

Reasonable Accommodation and Other Duties:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

This description is not intended to contain a comprehensive listing of all duties and responsibilities, which may change based on business needs.