Litigation Specialist

Berliner Cohen, LLP; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Berliner Cohen, LLP in San Jose seeks a Litigation Specialist to support trial attorneys with complex filings, case management, and discovery coordination. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of California civil litigation experience, strong procedural knowledge, and proficiency with MS Office 365, Adobe Acrobat Pro, NetDOCS, and e-filing systems.

This on-site role requires collaboration with a fast-paced team.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of civil litigation experience in California.
• Thorough knowledge of California Code of Civil Procedure and local rules.
• Experience with Federal and state filing systems (CM/ECF, TrueFiling/One Legal).
• Strong organizational and proofreading skills.
• Ability to manage multiple calendars and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Litigation & calendar management: file state and federal documents, format briefs with TOC/TOA, communicate deadlines to clients and attorneys.
• Substantive case support: assist with discovery drafting, document production, and exhibit preparation for trials and motions.
• Trial prep: assemble trial notebooks and coordinate witness logistics.

Skills

Civil litigation experience

Procedural knowledge

Attention to detail

Proofreading

Problem solving

Calendar management

Tools

CM/ECF

TrueFiling/One Legal

MS Office 365

Adobe Acrobat Pro

NetDOCS

Job description

Berliner Cohen is a dynamic, high-stakes civil litigation firm located in the heart of San Jose. We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional advocacy for our clients in commercial litigation, employment law, real estate litigation, and appellate advocacy. We foster a collaborative, fast-paced environment where sharp legal minds and highly skilled support staff work as a cohesive team to achieve outstanding results.

Position Overview

We are seeking a sophisticated Litigation Specialist who bridges the gap between an elite Litigation Secretary and an analytical Paralegal. The ideal candidate possesses an understanding of California civil procedure, exceptional organizational instincts, and the capability to handle substantive litigation support. You will be the operational backbone of our trial attorneys, managing complex filings while actively assisting with case management, including organizing client documents, managing the processing of discovery, and helping prepare documents for motion filing and trial readiness.

Key Responsibilities

Litigation & Calendar Management (Secretarial Mastery)

• State & Federal Filing: State-court e-filing via TrueFiling/One Legal and federal e-filing via CM/ECF. Strict adherence to local rules for the Appellate District, all California Superior Courts, and District Courts of California.
• Document Formatting: Structure, format, and generate tables of contents and authorities (TOC/TOA) for complex legal memoranda, motions, and appellate briefs.
• Communication: Working with the clients on deadlines, responding to attorney communications, and managing multiple calendars.

Substantive Case Support (Paralegal Capabilities)

• Discovery Coordination: Draft basic discovery requests and responses; help format, bates-stamp, and organize document productions; manage index logs and materials with lawyers and paralegals.
• Pleadings & Motions: Assist in drafting routine notices, stipulations, proposed orders, and gathering exhibits.
• Trial & Deposition Prep: Aiding legal professionals with compiling deposition exhibits, coordinate witness logistics, assemble trial notebooks, and assist with exhibit lists.

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: Minimum of 5+ years of progressive civil litigation experience in California. Experience in a fast-paced defense or plaintiff-side firm is highly valued.
• Procedural Expertise: Thorough, working knowledge of the California Code of Civil Procedure, California Rules of Court, and Superior Court Local Rules.
• Technical Proficiency: Mastery of Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook), Adobe Acrobat Pro. NetDOCS a plus. Experience with TOC/TOA generation tools is also a benefit.
• Soft Skills: Exceptional attention to detail, strong proofreading skills, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and the ability to maintain composure under tight litigation deadlines.

The candidate must be willing to work out of our San Jose office (no remote work available).

The successful candidate's hourly rate for this position is $52 to $62 an hour, reasonably expected to be set within this range; however, actual compensation will depend on a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the candidate's qualifications and experience. The listed range is for someone with at least 5 years of experience supporting litigation attorneys.

Berliner Cohen is an Equal Opportunity Employer.