Civil Litigation Associate Attorney

Overview

Los Angeles, CA law firm is seeking an experienced full-time Civil Litigation Associate Attorney
. We are seeking a California-licensed civil litigation associate with 2-5+ years of hands-on experience handling habitability and uninhabitable housing cases, including mold, code enforcement violations, rent abatement, retaliation, and emotional distress damages. The ideal candidate has independently drafted complaints, handled discovery, taken or defended depositions, negotiated settlements with insurance counsel, and understands how these cases are actually valued and won.

Eviction-only or legal aid backgrounds are not a fit.

• JD & CA bar license
• 2-5 years of actual civil litigation experience (5+ years is ideal)
• 2-5 years hands-on experience handling habitability and uninhabitable housing cases

• Implied Warranty of Habitability
• Mold / uninhabitable conditions
• Rent abatement and damages analysis
• Retaliation and wrongful eviction
• Code enforcement-driven cases
• Settlement negotiation with insurers and defense firms

• Habitability cases from intake through resolution
• Drafting and filing complaints (not just templates)
• Discovery (written + depo prep)
• Settlement negotiations with insurance counsel
• Rent abatement calculations
• Emotional distress damages framing

• Draft a habitability complaint without supervision
• Respond to demurrers and motions to strike
• Oppose summary judgment
• Take or defend depositions
• Prepare mediation briefs
• Evaluate settlement ranges realistically

• Mold cases
• Code enforcement involvement
• Retaliation claims
• Multi-tenant or pattern cases

• Pure eviction defense
• Legal aid-only background
• "Tenant clinic" experience without litigation
• Someone who has never taken or defended depositions

• Building a record with photos/videos
• Using code enforcement citations effectively
• Leveraging medical records (even limited ones)
• Working with mold inspectors or habitability experts
• Using retaliation evidence strategically

• 2-3 years competent: $110k-$140k
• 4-6 years strong: $140k-$180k
• Senior associate: $180k-$220k+

CA

Remote

Commensurate with experience

Benefits: health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k) matching, flexible schedule, paid time off, paid sick time off, paid holidays, parental leave, training/professional development assistance, employee assistance programs, referral bonus structure discretionary bonus