Lead Trial Paralegal — High-Stakes Litigation

Kelley Uustal; Fort Lauderdale (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Purpose-driven environment

Professional development

Exceptional colleagues

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Kelley Uustal in Fort Lauderdale, FL seeks a Senior Trial Paralegal to support high-stakes, complex litigation in an in-office setting. You will work with trial teams on medical malpractice, product liability, wrongful death, and high-profile matters, from pretrial to post-trial phases.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years of litigation paralegal experience, strong organizational skills, and leadership ability, with proficiency in case management tools and MS Office.

Qualifications

• Paralegal certificate, bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of litigation paralegal experience, with significant hands-on trial experience.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex cases from litigation through trial and post-trial.
• Strong knowledge of discovery, court filings, trial preparation, exhibits, witnesses, and state and federal procedures.
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to perform under pressure and meet critical deadlines.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to guide and support other legal support professionals.
• Ability to adapt to evolving technology, including the responsible use of approved, secure AI tools.
• Proficiency in case management software, Microsoft Office Suite, and Adobe Acrobat
• Strong commitment to confidentiality and professional ethics

Responsibilities

• Independently manage complex cases through all phases of litigation, trial preparation, trial, and post-trial proceedings.
• Serve as a lead paralegal on assigned trials, anticipating attorney and case needs and driving trial preparation from beginning to end.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive trial preparation plans, including critical deadlines, court requirements, exhibits, witnesses, experts, and trial logistics.
• Manage complex discovery and document productions, including organizing, analyzing, and synthesizing large volumes of case materials.
• Prepare and oversee trial exhibits, exhibit and witness lists, trial binders, demonstratives, deposition designations, and other trial materials.
• Coordinate witness and expert preparation, subpoenas, records, scheduling, and courtroom logistics.
• Provide high-level drafting, filing, and organizational support for dispositive motions, pretrial filings, hearings, depositions, mediations, and trials.
• Conduct and synthesize legal and factual research to identify key evidence, inconsistencies, and information relevant to case and trial strategy.
• Provide hands‑on courtroom and trial support, responding to evolving attorney needs, evidentiary issues, exhibits, witnesses, and deadlines in real time.
• Ensure compliance with court orders, scheduling orders, filing deadlines, and applicable court procedures throughout the life of the case.
• Partner closely with attorneys to identify case needs, resolve issues, and ensure the trial team is fully prepared at every stage.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and training to paralegals, legal assistants, and other support personnel assigned to matters.
• Review work products and help establish organizational systems and best practices to promote accuracy, efficiency, and consistency across trial teams.

Skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Leadership

AI tools awareness

Case management software

Microsoft Office

Adobe Acrobat

Education

Paralegal certificate or bachelor’s degree

Equivalent experience

Tools

Case management software

Microsoft Office Suite

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Kelley Uustal in Fort Lauderdale, FL seeks a Senior Trial Paralegal to support high-stakes, complex litigation in an in-office setting. You will work with trial teams on medical malpractice, product liability, wrongful death, and high-profile matters, from pretrial to post-trial phases.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years of litigation paralegal experience, strong organizational skills, and leadership ability, with proficiency in case management tools and MS Office.