Litigation Associate - 1,650 hours

Swan Legal Search; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Swan Legal Search in San Francisco seeks a Litigation Associate with 2–4 years of complex commercial litigation experience to join a boutique firm handling high-stakes disputes for tech clients, emerging companies, and individuals.

You will work on depositions, motions, discovery, strategy, and trial preparation with direct partner interaction in small teams, offering substantive litigation work and responsibility in a fast-paced market.

Qualifications

• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, and oral advocacy skills.
• Active California Bar membership in good standing.
• Significant hands-on experience litigating civil matters in state and federal court.

Responsibilities

• Draft substantive pleadings, dispositive motions, briefs, and other filings.
• Take and defend depositions, prepare witnesses, and participate in court proceedings.
• Manage written discovery, document production, and discovery disputes.
• Develop litigation strategy and manage aspects of cases in state and federal courts.
• Work directly with partners and clients throughout all stages of litigation, including trial preparation and arbitration.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Analytical thinking

Oral advocacy

Education

J.D. from a top-20 U.S. law school

Job description

Swan Legal Search is recruiting a Litigation Associate with 2–4 years of complex commercial litigation experience for a highly regarded San Francisco litigation boutique.

The firm represents sophisticated tech clients, emerging companies, and individuals in high-stakes commercial disputes, including trade secret litigation, unfair competition, antitrust, intellectual property disputes, and other complex business litigation.

Matters are staffed on small teams, giving associates substantial responsibility for depositions, motion practice, discovery, case strategy, and trial preparation. The position offers sophisticated litigation work, direct partner and client interaction, and a 1,650-hour annual billable requirement, which is what associates there actually bill.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Draft substantive pleadings, dispositive motions, briefs, and other filings.
• Take and defend depositions, prepare witnesses, and participate in court proceedings.
• Manage written discovery, document production, and discovery disputes.
• Develop litigation strategy and manage aspects of cases in state and federal courts.
• Work directly with partners and clients throughout all stages of litigation, including trial preparation and arbitration.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• J.D. from a top-20 U.S. law school.
• Active California Bar membership in good standing.
• Minimum 2 years and maximum 4 years of substantive complex commercial litigation experience.
• Experience at an AmLaw 100 firm or a highly regarded litigation boutique.
• Significant hands-on experience litigating civil matters in state and federal court.
• Demonstrated experience drafting substantive motions and briefs, managing discovery, and preparing for or participating in depositions.
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, and oral advocacy skills.