Litigation Associate – Northern California

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 158,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Bonuses

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Job summary

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Northern California is seeking an Attorney Litigation Associate to join our expanding Litigation team. The ideal candidate has 3–5 years of experience and will draft pleadings and motions, take and defend depositions, conduct research, and participate in mediations and court hearings.

The role focuses on general liability and construction litigation, with a hybrid work arrangement and competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in litigation.
• Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Experience drafting pleadings, motions, and discovery requests.

Responsibilities

• Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, discovery requests/responses, subpoenas.
• Take and defend depositions; engage with clients, experts, and witnesses.
• Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda on substantive issues.
• Participate in client interviews and witness preparation; assist at trial.
• Attend mediations and court hearings; assist in trial proceedings.

Skills

Legal Research

Legal Writing

Deposition

Client Interaction

Team Collaboration

Tools

Litigation Tools

Job description

Attorney Litigation Associate – Northern California

Jan 30, 2026

Skills

Burke, Williams & Sorensen is a full-service law firm with deep expertise in litigation and provides high-quality legal services to public agencies, private entities, and individuals throughout California. Burke offers a collaborative environment where attorneys work alongside seasoned practitioners to deliver effective and strategic representation. We are seeking an associate with 3-5 years of experience to join the expanding Litigation team. The ideal candidate will possess excellent research, writing, and analytical skills, and be prepared to engage in the following duties:

• Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, discovery requests/responses, subpoenas, and additional litigation documents, inclusive of motions for summary judgment
• Engage with insurance professionals, in-house clients, experts, third-party administrators, opposing counsel, and witnesses
• Take and defend depositions, including of key party witnesses and experts
• Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda on substantive legal issues
• Participate in client interviews and witness preparation, for depositions and at trial
• Attend and participate in mediations
• Attend court hearings, argue motions, and assist in trial proceedings as appropriate.
• Collaborate closely with senior attorneys and partners throughout all stages of litigation, from inception through trial
• Assist in the defense of complex civil litigation matters, including:
• General liability cases, encompassing high-value claims arising from motor vehicle collisions, trucking litigation, premises liability, workplace accidents, professional negligence, and products liability disputes, including cases involving catastrophic injuries and wrongful death
• Construction litigation matters, including breach of contract disputes and property damage claims arising from construction and design defects

The anticipated base salary range for this full-time role is $158,000 – $190,000 plus annual performance-based bonuses. The actual salary within that range will depend on the selected candidate’s years of practice and experience. The firm offers a hybrid work arrangement option, reasonable billable hours requirement, annual discretionary and billable hours bonuses, competitive health insurance benefits, and 401(k) with a partial match.

We promote an environment that encourages mentoring attorneys to advance in the firm and their careers. Burke supports integrity, diversity, professional growth, and personal fulfillment for everyone working at our firm.

EOE.