Labor & Employment Defense Associate - Florham Park, NJ

plug-legal; Florham Park (NJ); On-site; USD 245,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium benefits package

CLE & professional development budget

Job summary

plug-legal in Florham Park, NJ is seeking a mid-level employment attorney to join a premier Am Law 50 firm's cross-office team and manage defense litigation across New York and New Jersey.

The role emphasizes ownership of high-stakes matters, strategic counseling, and direct client advice on compliance while maintaining a balanced lifestyle and clear path toward partnership. Active admission to practice in both New Jersey and New York is strictly required.

Qualifications

• 4–5 years of defense-oriented labor and employment experience.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Active admission to practice in both New Jersey and New York is strictly required.

Responsibilities

• Defending sophisticated employers in high-stakes discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, and wage-and-hour litigation before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
• Providing direct advice and counseling to corporate clients on complex compliance matters, employment policies, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Drafting pivotal dispositive motions, taking and defending substantive depositions, and driving key strategic decisions throughout the lifecycle of defense cases.

Skills

Litigation

Legal writing

Education

Bar admission: NJ and NY

Job description

Labor & Employment Practice · 4–5 Years Experience · NJ & NY Bar Required

For a mid-level employment attorney in Northern New Jersey, the career trajectory often feels split: you either head into Manhattan for high-stakes, multi-jurisdictional defense work, or you stay in New Jersey for a more manageable lifestyle but smaller regional matters. This role within a premier Am Law 50 firm's Florham Park office removes that compromise. You will step into a sophisticated, partner-track position managing major defense litigation and strategic counseling across both the New York and New Jersey markets, backed by the deep resources of a national elite practice.

The Work

You will join a cross-office team that operates seamlessly across a national footprint. Instead of being isolated in a regional silo, you will actively collaborate on high-value matters, moving past routine document review to take true ownership of files:

• Defending sophisticated employers in high-stakes discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, and wage-and-hour litigation before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
• Providing direct advice and counseling to corporate clients on complex compliance matters, employment policies, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Drafting pivotal dispositive motions, taking and defending substantive depositions, and driving key strategic decisions throughout the lifecycle of defense cases.

Who This Is For

This role is specifically calibrated for a technically precise, mid-level litigator ready for a structured path toward partnership.

• The Dedicated Employment Associate: You have 4 to 5 years of solid, defense-oriented labor and employment experience, excellent writing skills, and you want to elevate your practice on an elite Am Law platform without the Manhattan commute.
• The Complex Commercial Litigator: If you have spent your associate years handling sophisticated commercial litigation in New York or New Jersey but have a strong foundation in restrictive covenants, executive departures, or employment-adjacent disputes and want to fully anchor your career in an elite employer-side practice, the firm values your transferable courtroom and analytical skills.
• Active admission to practice in both New Jersey and New York is strictly required.

The Platform

The firm stands as a powerhouse in the national legal landscape, recognized for its commitment to true institutional collaboration and client service. This is a highly collaborative environment where partners actively invest in mid-level associate development, providing clear performance metrics and real integration into national client relationships. The firm has designed a modern, balanced workspace structured around a defined three-day in-office schedule, ensuring you get the mentorship, visibility, and relationship‑building critical for partnership advancement while maintaining meaningful personal flexibility.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base Salary: $245,000 – $265,000 (Exact initial placement within this range is dependent upon relevant skills, training, and experience).
• Bonus Structure: Eligibility for both productivity and discretionary performance‑based bonuses that significantly enhance total compensation.
• Benefits: A comprehensive, premium corporate benefits package, including top‑tier medical, dental, vision, life, accident, and disability insurance; a 401(k) retirement plan with profit‑sharing components; generous paid time off and parental leave; and a dedicated firm budget for continuing legal education (CLE) and professional development.