Mid-Level to Senior Labor & Employment Associate

McGuireWoods LLP; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

McGuireWoods LLP is seeking an associate to support a fast-paced, strategic employment litigation practice. The role emphasizes executive mobility disputes, restrictive covenants, and trade secret litigation, with significant client exposure from the outset.

Associates will contribute to diligence, risk assessment, and post-closing workforce integration in private equity and M&A contexts, while collaborating closely with a partner on sensitive matters and maintaining a hands-on approach from day

Qualifications

• Experience handling high-stakes employment disputes is desirable.
• Strong written and oral advocacy in complex litigation is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Litigate restrictive covenant and trade secret disputes, including injunctive relief.
• Counsel on executive mobility issues, onboarding, departures, and incentive arrangements; advise on compliance and risk management.

Job description

Overview

• The practice advises companies, private equity sponsors, and senior executives on high-stakes employment disputes and sensitive workforce matters, focusing on issues impacting enterprise value, executive leadership, and critical business operations.
• The work is fast-paced and highly strategic, distinguishing it from traditional employment law roles.
• The practice specifically includes executive mobility disputes, restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation, and other complex employment matters involving senior-level talent and confidential business information.
• While litigation forms the core of the role, associates also collaborate on employment aspects of private equity and M&A transactions, including diligence, risk assessment, and post-closing workforce integration.
• Associates work directly with a partner on sensitive, mission-critical matters, gaining meaningful responsibility, direct client exposure, and hands-on experience from the outset.
• Core litigation responsibilities include litigating restrictive covenant and trade secret disputes (including injunctive relief), managing substantive aspects of litigation (drafting pleadings and motions, legal research, case strategy, discovery, and preparing for hearings and depositions).
• Advisory responsibilities involve counseling on executive mobility issues (onboarding, departures, and incentive arrangements), employment compliance, risk management, sensitive personnel issues, supporting employment-related due diligence, and assisting with internal investigations involving whistleblower or reputational concerns.