Litigation Associate

About the Firm

Sanchez Maselli Trial Attorneys is a civil defense litigation firm headquartered in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, with additional offices in New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida. We defend businesses, property owners, public entities, transportation companies, and their insurers in personal injury, premises liability, employment, motor vehicle, construction, rideshare, and professional liability matters in state and federal courts. We are a firm of trial lawyers, and we are growing. Learn more about us at smlawfirm.com.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an Associate Attorney with three or more years of civil litigation experience to join our Woodcliff Lake office. This is a true litigation role for a lawyer who is ready to run cases. The associate will carry a caseload of active defense matters with partner oversight and will own the work of moving those cases forward: pleadings, written discovery, depositions, motion practice, court appearances, and reporting to clients.

Because we are a newly formed and growing firm, the associate will work directly with the partners rather than through layers of senior associates. That means real ownership of your files, direct client contact, and a clear path to first-chairing trials and taking on a leadership role as the firm grows.

What You Will Do

•     Manage an active caseload of civil defense matters in the New Jersey Superior Court and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, with the opportunity to handle matters in other states as well

•     Prepare and respond to written discovery, including interrogatories, notices to produce, and requests for admissions

•     Take and defend depositions of parties, fact witnesses, and experts

•     Research and draft motions, including motions to dismiss, motions to compel, and motions for summary judgment, and argue them in court

•     Attend case management conferences, arbitrations, mediations, and settlement conferences

•     Prepare litigation reports, budgets, and evaluations for insurance carriers and corporate clients

•     Work with retained experts, investigators, and vendors

•     Assist with trial preparation and participate in trials

Qualifications

•     Juris Doctor from an accredited law school

•     Admitted to practice in New Jersey, or eligible for admission and sitting for the next available bar examination; New York, Pennsylvania and/or Florida admission is a plus

•     A minimum of three years of civil litigation experience, preferably in personal injury or insurance defense, including experience taking and defending depositions and handling motion practice

•     Strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills

•     Comfortable managing multiple deadlines and communicating directly with clients, adjusters, opposing counsel, and the court

•     Judicial clerkship experience, prior litigation experience, or trial advocacy or moot court experience in law school is a plus

•     The ability to manage a caseload independently and the judgment to know when to bring a partner in

Compensation and Benefits

•     Salary range of $140,000 to $165,000, depending on experience

•     Billable Hours bonus over salary

•     Health insurance

•     Dental insurance

•     401(k) with employer match

•     Gym and wellness membership through Wellhub

•     Bar dues, continuing legal education, and professional development support

•     Numerous social and off-site events each year to enrich your relationships with your colleagues 

•     Flexible Work Model: Remote, hybrid, or onsite options available 

Sanchez Maselli Trial Attorneys is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Sanchez Maselli Trial Attorneys is a civil defense litigation firm headquartered in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, with additional offices in New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida. We defend businesses, property owners, public entities, transportation companies, and their insurers in personal injury, premises liability, employment, motor vehicle, construction, rideshare, and professional liability matters in state and federal courts. We are a firm of trial lawyers, and we are growing. Learn more about us at smlawfirm.com.