Senior Employment Litigation Associate – Class Action Focus

About the role

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is seeking a senior‑level associate to join its nationally recognized Employment practice in Los Angeles or San Francisco. The associate will lead complex wage‑and‑hour class actions and PAGA matters while also handling high‑stakes discrimination, harassment, retaliation, trade‑secret, and other employment disputes.

Key responsibilities

• Manage all phases of complex employment litigation in state and federal courts, emphasizing wage‑and‑hour class actions and PAGA representative actions.
• Develop litigation strategy, assess risk exposure, and advise clients on settlement and trial approaches.
• Draft and argue substantive motions, including motions to compel arbitration, class certification, dispositive motions, and appellate briefs.
• Take and defend depositions of plaintiffs, witnesses, corporate representatives, and experts.
• Oversee written discovery, document review, and case management for large‑scale matters.
• Participate in mediations, settlement negotiations, arbitrations, and court appearances.
• Provide employment counseling, compliance advice, and risk‑mitigation guidance to California‑based clients.
• Collaborate with partners and litigation teams on high‑profile cases and mentor junior associates.

Required profile

• JD from an accredited law school and admission to practice in California.
• Minimum 5 years of employment litigation experience, with substantial exposure to wage‑and‑hour class actions and PAGA matters.
• Strong knowledge of California employment law and class‑action procedure.
• Proven ability to manage complex litigation and interact directly with clients.
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, and oral advocacy skills.
• Strong organizational and case‑management abilities; capable of handling multiple priorities.

Required skills

What we offer

• Direct client exposure and responsibility on sophisticated litigation matters.
• Opportunities for leadership, professional growth, and business‑development involvement.
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial environment within a top employment practice.