Associate Attorney – Insurance Defense / Civil Litigation (Mid-to-Senior Level) at Gray, Duffy, Eisenbaum & Lee, LLP in Woodland Hills, CA

Job description

• Gray, Duffy, Eisenbaum & Lee, LLP (GDEL) is a respected boutique litigation defense firm with offices in Woodland Hills and Redwood City. The firm focuses on civil litigation defense, with an emphasis on insurance defense, personal injury, construction defect, and employment litigation matters.
• We are seeking a Mid-to-Senior Level Associate Attorney with strong civil litigation experience to join our litigation team. This role is designed for an attorney who can independently manage an active insurance defense caseload while continuing to develop advocacy skills in motion practice, discovery, depositions, and trial preparation in a fast-moving litigation environment.

Responsibilities

• The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to:
• • Independently managing assigned insurance defense and civil litigation matters through all stages of the case lifecycle, with appropriate partner oversight
• • Drafting pleadings, motions, discovery requests and responses, correspondence, and other litigation documents
• • Conducting legal research and preparing substantive analysis of procedural and substantive issues
• • Taking and defending depositions and handling court appearances, mediations, arbitrations, and other proceedings
• • Developing case strategy and managing discovery in coordination with supervising attorneys
• • Negotiating settlements and participating in resolution strategy throughout litigation
• • Communicating directly and professionally with clients, insurance carriers, opposing counsel, experts, court personnel, and colleagues
• • Ensuring compliance with applicable laws, court rules, ethical obligations, and firm policies
• • Performing additional duties as needed in support of client matters and firm operations

Requirements

• • Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school
• • Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California
• • 5–12 years of civil litigation experience, with significant insurance defense experience strongly preferred
• • Demonstrated experience in motion practice, discovery, depositions, and active case management in litigation matters
• • Strong legal research, writing, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• • Ability to independently manage multiple active matters and perform in a fast-paced litigation environment
• • Strong interpersonal and communication skills with a client-service orientation and professional demeanor
• • Trial experience or trial preparation experience is a plus

Skills

Required

• Client-service orientation
• Professional demeanor

Benefits

• Expected Salary Range: $150,000 to $225,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, qualifications, skills, education, business needs, and other job-related factors permitted by law.
• Eligibility for quarterly performance-based bonuses. Bonus eligibility and amounts are determined under the firm's bonus program and are based on performance metrics, including billable hours, productivity, quality of work, client service, and other job-related factors.
• • Medical, dental, and optional vision insurance
• • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• • 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching, subject to plan terms
• • Voluntary life insurance
• • Paid parking
• • Additional benefits as provided under applicable firm policies and plan documents