Senior Associate - Pre-Litigation

Confidential; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Confidential is seeking a Senior Pre-Litigation Associate to lead pre-suit employment matters for plaintiff-side cases in New York. You will evaluate claims, frame liability, draft demands, and coordinate with clients and staff to move matters toward resolution or escalation.

You will own detailed case evaluations, develop early strategy, handle EEOC/NYSDHR considerations, supervise junior team members, and collaborate with litigators to ensure timely, businesslike outcomes.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and active New York Bar admission in good standing.
• 5+ years of employment law experience, plaintiff-side preferred.
• Experience with pre-litigation strategy, demand drafting, settlement negotiations, and client counseling.
• Experience with EEOC and NYSDHR practice, including charge preparation and administrative case management.
• Strong knowledge of NYCHRL, NYSHRL, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, Equal Pay Act, Section 1981, and related statutes.
• Excellent legal writing, factual analysis, negotiation, organization, and client communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage a docket of plaintiff-side employment matters in the pre-litigation phase.
• Conduct detailed case evaluations and develop early case strategy.
• Assess liability, damages, evidence, credibility, and settlement value.
• Draft high-impact demand letters and pre-suit submissions.
• Manage EEOC and NYSDHR charge strategy, filings, responses, and deadlines.
• Build factual records through client interviews, document review, witness development, and damages analysis.
• Serve as primary client contact with clear, professional communication.
• Negotiate pre-suit resolutions and participate in mediations and settlement conferences.
• Prepare litigation-ready files when escalation is warranted.
• Coordinate with litigation attorneys, paralegals, intake, and staff to keep matters moving.
• Mentor junior attorneys, paralegals, or law clerks as appropriate

Skills

Employment law

Pre-litigation strategy

Client communication

Negotiation

Legal writing

Case management

Education

JD from an accredited law school

Job description

We are hiring a Senior Pre-Litigation Associate to manage and drive the pre-suit phase of high-value plaintiff-side employment matters from early case evaluation through resolution or litigation handoff.

This role is for a plaintiff-side employment attorney who understands that meaningful leverage is often created before a complaint is filed-and who can develop facts, frame liability, communicate with clients, draft persuasive demands, and negotiate resolutions with judgment and urgency.

This is not an intake-only role.

This is not a passive support position.

This is not a role for someone who needs to be taught plaintiff-side employment strategy from the ground up.

Read This Before Applying

• If your background is exclusively defense-side, this role may not be the right fit.
• If you have not handled employment matters through pre-suit evaluation, demand, negotiation, or agency practice, this is not the right seat.
• If you are not comfortable owning client communication, deadlines, valuation, and settlement strategy, this role will not align.

We are seeking an attorney who can operate with senior-level judgment, move cases forward independently, and contribute to a high-performing plaintiff-side pre-litigation team.

The Role You Will Own

You will manage a docket of plaintiff-side employment matters in the pre-litigation phase, including:

• Conducting detailed case evaluations and developing early case strategy
• Assessing liability, damages, evidence, credibility, and settlement value
• Drafting high-impact demand letters and pre-suit submissions
• Managing EEOC and NYSDHR charge strategy, filings, responses, and related deadlines
• Building factual records through client interviews, document review, witness development, and damages analysis
• Serving as a primary client contact and maintaining clear, consistent, professional communication
• Negotiating pre-suit resolutions and participating in mediations and settlement conferences
• Preparing litigation-ready files when escalation is warranted
• Coordinating with litigation attorneys, paralegals, intake, and administrative staff to keep matters moving efficiently
• Mentoring junior attorneys, paralegals, or law clerks as appropriate

Practice Focus

You will handle matters involving:

• Discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination claims
• NYCHRL and NYSHRL
• Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and related federal employment statutes
• Section 1981 and civil rights claims
• Equal Pay Act and wage-related claims
• New York Labor Law and other employee-side workplace claims

Who This Is For

This role is designed for an attorney who:

• Has meaningful plaintiff-side employment law experience and understands how to build leverage before filing
• Can evaluate claims quickly, accurately, and commercially
• Writes clearly, persuasively, and with strategic purpose
• Communicates with clients directly, respectfully, and consistently
• Negotiates from evidence, exposure, damages, and timing—not bluster
• Can manage a substantial docket without sacrificing quality or deadlines
• Works well with attorneys and staff in a fast-moving, results-driven environment

Requirements

• JD from an accredited law school and active New York Bar admission in good standing
• 5+ years of employment law experience, with plaintiff-side experience strongly preferred
• Substantial experience with pre-litigation case strategy, demand drafting, settlement negotiations, and client counseling
• Experience with EEOC and NYSDHR practice, including charge preparation and administrative case management
• Strong knowledge of NYCHRL, NYSHRL, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, Equal Pay Act, Section 1981, and related employment statutes
• Excellent legal writing, factual analysis, negotiation, organization, and client communication skills
• Ability to manage competing deadlines and a high-volume docket with autonomy and accountability

Plaintiff-side employment experience is strongly preferred; defense-side experience will be considered only where the candidate demonstrates a clear understanding of employee-side strategy and pre-suit leverage.

Compensation & Platform

This is a senior associate role within a plaintiff-side employment practice that values careful preparation, strategic pressure, strong client service, and results.

• Direct client contact and case ownership
• Opportunity to work closely with experienced plaintiff-side employment attorneys
• Performance-aligned compensation and growth potential
• Hybrid New York platform with a serious, outcome-focused team