Litigation Associate (3+ years experience)

Sanchez Maselli Trial Attorneys; Woodcliff Lake (NJ); On-site; USD 140,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental insurance

401(k) with employer match

Gym and wellness membership

Bar dues

CLE support

Job summary

Sanchez Maselli Trial Attorneys is a civil defense litigation firm headquartered in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, seeking an Associate Attorney with three or more years of civil litigation experience to join our Woodcliff Lake office.

This is a true litigation role where you will run active defense matters with partner oversight, handling pleadings, discovery, depositions, motions, court appearances, and client reporting.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Admitted to practice in New Jersey; New York, Pennsylvania and/or Florida admission is a plus.
• Minimum of three years of civil litigation experience, preferably in personal injury or insurance defense.
• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage deadlines and communicate directly with clients, adjusters, opposing counsel, and the court.

Responsibilities

• Manage an active caseload of civil defense matters in NJ state and federal court.
• Prepare and respond to written discovery and production requests.
• Take and defend depositions of parties, witnesses, and experts.
• Research and draft motions and argue them in court.
• Attend case management conferences, arbitrations, and mediations.
• Prepare litigation reports and budgets for carriers and corporate clients.
• Collaborate with retained experts, investigators, and vendors.
• Assist with trial preparation and participate in trials.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Client communication

Deposition handling

Case management

Education

Juris Doctor

Job description

Sanchez Maselli Trial Attorneys is a civil defense litigation firm headquartered in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, with additional offices in New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida. We defend businesses, property owners, public entities, transportation companies, and their insurers in personal injury, premises liability, employment, motor vehicle, construction, rideshare, and professional liability matters in state and federal courts. We are a firm of trial lawyers, and we are growing. Learn more about us at smlawfirm.com.

Opportunity

We are seeking an Associate Attorney with three or more years of civil litigation experience to join our Woodcliff Lake office. This is a true litigation role for a lawyer who is ready to run cases. The associate will carry a caseload of active defense matters with partner oversight and will own the work of moving those cases forward: pleadings, written discovery, depositions, motion practice, court appearances, and reporting to clients.

Because we are a newly formed and growing firm, the associate will work directly with the partners rather than through layers of senior associates. That means real ownership of your files, direct client contact, and a clear path to first-chairing trials and taking on a leadership role as the firm grows.

What You Will Do

• Manage an active caseload of civil defense matters in the New Jersey Superior Court and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, with the opportunity to handle matters in other states as well
• Prepare and respond to written discovery, including interrogatories, notices to produce, and requests for admissions
• Take and defend depositions of parties, fact witnesses, and experts
• Research and draft motions, including motions to dismiss, motions to compel, and motions for summary judgment, and argue them in court
• Attend case management conferences, arbitrations, mediations, and settlement conferences
• Prepare litigation reports, budgets, and evaluations for insurance carriers and corporate clients
• Work with retained experts, investigators, and vendors
• Assist with trial preparation and participate in trials

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school
• Admitted to practice in New Jersey; New York, Pennsylvania and/or Florida admission is a plus
• A minimum of three years of civil litigation experience, preferably in personal injury or insurance defense, including experience taking and defending depositions and handling motion practice
• Strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills
• Comfortable managing multiple deadlines and communicating directly with clients, adjusters, opposing counsel, and the court
• Judicial clerkship experience, prior litigation experience, or trial advocacy or moot court experience in law school is a plus
• The ability to manage a caseload independently and the judgment to know when to bring a partner in

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary range of $140,000 to $165,000, depending on experience, with billable hour bonuses
• Dental insurance
• 401(k) with employer match
• Gym and wellness membership through Wellhub
• Bar dues, continuing legal education, and professional development support