Insurance and Financial Services Litigation Associate (California)

This role sits inside the litigation practice group of a well-established, California-focused full-service law firm with nearly 150 attorneys across 10 offices and a 95-plus year track record. The firm represents insurers, third-party administrators, employer-sponsored benefit plans, and public entities in complex insurance, ERISA, disability, life, health, long-term care, fraud, and financial services matters in both state and federal court. The position carries a reasonable 1,850-hour billable target, a hybrid or fully remote schedule, and a clear path toward partnership-track growth without requiring an immediate book of business.

The ideal candidate is a defense-side litigator with 3 to 5 years of experience in insurance, coverage, ERISA, or financial services matters who is genuinely interested in building a long-term practice in this space. You write and research at a high level, you are comfortable owning substantive case responsibilities independently, and you appreciate a collegial, mentorship-oriented culture over a hyper-competitive one. Interest in or exposure to public entity and government-adjacent litigation is a real plus.

Key Responsibilities

1. Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, discovery requests and responses, subpoenas, and related litigation documents
2. Engage directly with in-house clients, insurers, third-party administrators, opposing counsel, experts, and witnesses
3. Review, investigate, and assess the factual and legal dimensions of insurance and financial services claims
4. Take and defend depositions across a range of matter types
5. Manage substantive case responsibilities independently at the associate level, with appropriate partner support
6. Assist in trial and arbitration preparation, including motions in limine, jury instructions, trial briefs, exhibit preparation, and witness preparation
7. Advise on ERISA, disability, life, health, long-term care, fraud, and employer-plan benefit matters as caseload develops

Required Skills & Experience

• 3 to 5 years of litigation experience, with a focus on insurance or financial services defense
• Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited law school
• Active California Bar admission in good standing
• Minimum 3.0 GPA for candidates under five years of practice
• Demonstrated experience drafting pleadings, motions, and discovery
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills with the ability to manage case responsibilities independently
• Strong organizational and client-facing communication skills
• Located in California or willing to relocate; must be able to work within a California-based team
• Genuine interest in institutional defense and public entity-adjacent litigation practice

Preferred Skills

• Experience with ERISA, disability, life, health, long-term care, fraud, or employer-plan benefit matters
• Exposure to public agency or municipal law matters, including representation of cities, counties, school districts, or other government entities
• Experience in both state and federal court litigation
• LL.M. or additional advanced training in dispute resolution or a related field
• Stable work history showing sustained engagement with a practice group or client base over time