Litigation Associate

Plug Legal; Washington (District of Columbia, MD); On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Plug Legal in Washington, DC is seeking a Commercial Litigation Associate to join its elite team. You’ll work on high-stakes disputes for corporate clients, drafting briefs, taking depositions, and shaping strategy alongside partners. The firm prides itself on trial work quality over headcount.

With lean teams, you’ll gain early trial exposure, handling matters from intake through trial and appeal in federal and state courts, offering a fast-track path to running matters yourself.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of commercial litigation experience, ideally at a top-tier firm.
• Outstanding academic credentials.
• Exceptional research and writing skills.
• Admission to the DC bar, or eligibility to waive in.

Responsibilities

• Handle complex commercial disputes across federal and state courts, from pre-suit strategy through trial and appeal.
• Draft dispositive motions, appellate briefs and other substantive written advocacy.
• Take and defend depositions and lead discovery strategy.
• Prepare for and participate in trials, hearings and arbitrations.
• Work directly with partners and clients on case strategy.
• Conduct legal research and analysis on novel and high-value issues.

Skills

Commercial litigation experience

Outstanding academic credentials

Exceptional research and writing

Ownership and responsibility

Education

Outstanding academic credentials

Job description

Commercial Litigation Associate | Washington, DC

An elite litigation boutique in Washington, DC is adding an associate to its commercial litigation team. The firm takes on high-stakes, bet-the-company disputes for corporate clients, often going up against much larger firms, and it competes on the quality of its trial work rather than headcount. Teams are deliberately lean, which shapes everything about how associates work here.

The Role

You’ll be working on complex commercial disputes from intake through trial and appeal, in federal and state courts. Small case teams mean you won’t be one of fifteen associates on a document review; you’ll be drafting the key briefs, taking and defending depositions, and sitting at the center of case strategy alongside partners. If you’ve been waiting years in a large firm for real stand-up opportunities, this is a shortcut to them.

Key Responsibilities

• Handle complex commercial disputes across federal and state courts, from pre-suit strategy through trial and appeal
• Draft dispositive motions, appellate briefs and other substantive written advocacy
• Take and defend depositions and lead discovery strategy
• Prepare for and participate in trials, hearings and arbitrations
• Work directly with partners and clients on case strategy
• Conduct legal research and analysis on novel and high-value issues

Your Future at the Firm

Boutiques of this kind build trial lawyers quickly because the work can’t be spread thin. Associates get on their feet earlier than at most large firms and develop close working relationships with the partners they’ll learn from. For the right person, that means a faster route to running matters yourself.

Who You Are

You’re a sharp writer and a clear thinker who wants to be in court, not just near it. You take ownership of your work, thrive with responsibility, and like being trusted early. You want your career built on trial skills rather than leverage.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of commercial litigation experience, ideally at a top-tier firm
• Outstanding academic credentials
• Exceptional research and writing skills
• Admission to the DC bar, or eligibility to waive in

Compensation

250000-350000