Real Estate Litigation Attorney

Castaneda & Co.; Houston (TX); Remote; USD 198,000 - 242,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with employer match

PTO 5 weeks

MCLE reimbursements

Job summary

Castaneda & Co., PC is a boutique California real estate litigation firm seeking an experienced attorney to lead complex residential purchase disputes and commercial lease conflicts. You will write, argue, and manage cases with a focus on thoughtful strategy and client advocacy.

The role emphasizes mentorship, ongoing professional development, and collaboration within a high-performing team that challenges larger firms through original thinking. Remote work is supported for qualified candidates.

Qualifications

• Active license to practice law in California.
• At least 4 years of experience.
• Strong legal writing and research.
• Strong law and motion.
• Deposition experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of Westlaw, LexisNexis, and CEB.
• Able to work independently and with others remotely.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage real estate litigation cases from inception through resolution.
• Collaborate closely with clients to understand their needs and provide clear, actionable legal advice that aligns with their goals.
• Draft, review, and negotiate legal documents, including pleadings, motions, and settlement agreements, with precision and attention to detail.
• Conduct thorough legal research and analysis to support case strategies and ensure compliance with California real estate laws.
• Represent clients in court proceedings, mediations, and arbitrations, advocating effectively on their behalf.
• Foster a collaborative team environment by sharing insights and strategies with colleagues to enhance overall firm performance.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of real estate litigation trends and legal precedents to provide informed counsel to clients and the firm alike.

Skills

Active CA license

4+ years

Legal writing

Legal research

Law & motion

Deposition

Remote friendly

Tools

Westlaw

LexisNexis

CEB

Job description

About this position

Must be actively licensed to practice law in California to be considered for this position

Join Castaneda & Co., where our innovative approach and deep legal analysis define our success in real estate litigation. You'll be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and outsmarting larger firms with original thinking. As a Real Estate Litigation Attorney, you'll play a crucial role in handling complex residential purchase disputes and commercial lease conflicts. We value continuous learning and believe that great lawyers are made through experience and dedication. In our supportive environment, we encourage growth and provide honest feedback to help you excel.

Who We Are

We are highly specialized California real estate lawyers. Although there are many real estate practice areas, we only focus on two. First, we represent homebuyers in litigation against sellers and the real estate agents for both parties. Second, we represent small business owners in commercial lease litigation against landlords.

If you want to go after the bad guys and the obstructionist insurance defense lawyers who protect them, then this David-versus-Goliath law firm is for you.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for attorneys who want to constantly improve. That means that you want to master legal writing, depositions, and jury trials. You must have the drive to spend 20 hours a week improving your skill set so that you have the ability to win jury verdicts. We are looking for lawyers who will happily put in 15 to 20 hours a week reading books and taking the clinics below after being hired.

How You Will Get Better

The "10,000-hour rule," popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers, states that roughly 10,000 hours of dedicated practice are required to achieve world-class mastery in any field. However, researchers note this is an oversimplification. Simple repetition is not enough. The quality of practice matters more than just the raw time spent.

We have our own "10,000-page rule." Your best training will come from reading, mentorship, and hand -on feedback from the most experienced real estate lawyers who bring quality to your practice. There are roughly 10,000 pages of reading material from TrialGuides.com, Bryan Garner, and chapters from practice guides that we have curated for you. We also believe in specialized training from the Dodd Trial Skills Clinic, Trial Lawyers University, and Trial by Human, to name a few.

Some of Your Reading List

• Greenwald, Cal. Prac. Guide: Real Property (The Rutter Group)
• Weil & Brown, Calif. Civ. Proc. Before Trial (The Rutter Group)
• Bryan Garner, The Winning Brief
• Cross Examination Science and Techniques by Roger Dodd
• Dunne on Depositions by Kevin J. Dunne
• Evolving Damages by David Ball, Nick Rowley, and Artemis Malekpour
• Deeper Cuts by Keith Mitnik
• Voir Dire and Opening Statement by Nick Rowley, et al.
• Twelve Heroes, One Voice by Carl Bettinger
• Rules of the Road by Rick Friedman & Patrick Malone
• Don't Eat the Bruises by Keith Mitnick
• Deeper Cuts by Keith Mitnick
• David Ball on Damages 3
• Witness Preparation: How to Tell the Winning Story by Jesse Wilson

We offer a competitive compensation package based on your experience and performance. Our benefits include comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with employer match, and approximately five weeks of PTO. We also support your professional development with California bar dues and MCLE reimbursements. At Castaneda & Co., you'll find a place where you're challenged and supported by smart, friendly colleagues who take their work seriously. If you're ready to be part of a team that celebrates wins and backs each other up, let's grow together.

Compensation

up to $220,000 yearly DOE

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage real estate litigation cases from inception through resolution, ensuring a strategic approach to each unique case
• Collaborate closely with clients to understand their needs and provide clear, actionable legal advice that aligns with their goals
• Draft, review, and negotiate legal documents, including pleadings, motions, and settlement agreements, with precision and attention to detail
• Conduct thorough legal research and analysis to support case strategies and ensure compliance with California real estate laws
• Represent clients in court proceedings, mediations, and arbitrations, advocating effectively on their behalf
• Foster a collaborative team environment by sharing insights and strategies with colleagues to enhance overall firm performance
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of real estate litigation trends and legal precedents to provide informed counsel to clients and the firm alike

Qualifications

• Active license to practice law in California
• At least 4 years of experience (Candidates with additional years of experience are encouraged to apply!)
• Strong legal writing and research
• Strong law and motion
• Deposition experience is preferred
• Working knowledge of Westlaw, LexisNexis, CEB
• Can work independently and collaborate with other attorneys
• Comfortable working remotely

Preferred

• Real estate litigation experience
• Trial or trial preparation experience
• Deposition experience

About Company

Castaneda & Co., PC is a boutique real estate litigation firm based in California. We represent buyers in fraud, non-disclosure, and breach of fiduciary duty cases, as well as small business tenants in commercial lease disputes.

We do things a little differently. Our work is driven by original thinking, deep legal analysis, and strong writing - not templates or volume work. We like going up against bigger firms and winning by simply outthinking them.

Our culture is collaborative and high-performing. There’s no ego here - just a team of people who care about doing great work and helping each other grow. We give honest feedback, celebrate wins, and back each other up when things get busy.

If you’re looking for a place where you’ll be challenged, supported, and surrounded by smart, friendly people who take their work (but not themselves) seriously-you’ll fit right in.