Labor and Employment Associate

Location
Irvine
Workplace
Hybrid
Compensation
$150k – $215k + equity
Visa
No Visa Sponsorship

About this role

We are looking for a Labor and Employment Associate with 3-7 years of defense-side experience to join our growing team. We are seeking a passionate, team-oriented attorney who is looking for a long-term home to develop their career, gain substantive trial and arbitration experience, and become a key part of our collaborative, family-like culture.

What will you be doing?

Run active employment defense matters day-to-day, from single-plaintiff cases to PAGA and class actions.

Lead discovery, including drafting and arguing motions and taking/defending depositions.

Gain significant, hands-on arbitration and trial experience, with opportunities to second-chair and quickly take on more responsibility.

Advise and counsel a variety of California employers on complex employment law issues.

Work directly with partners and clients, helping to shape case strategy from start to finish.

Key Requirements

3-7 years of post-bar litigation experience in California employment law.

Experience must be exclusively on the defense side; no candidates with plaintiff-side experience.

Demonstrated proficiency in discovery, motion practice, and case management.

Exposure to PAGA and class action litigation is highly preferred.

A collaborative, team-player mentality with a genuine passion for employment law and desire for a long-term career path.

What happens next

Skip the application pile. I get you in front of the people who decide.

Confirm the fit

A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.

I pitch you to the company

I write the intro, send it to the founder, and handle the back-and-forth.

A meeting lands on your calendar

When the company wants to meet, I get the call on your calendar. You just show up.

Culture & values

The founding partners sought to create an entrepreneurial context for legal counsel.

Client-attorney relationships are fueled by flexibility, efficiency, responsiveness, and creativity.

CDF attorneys are described as a tight-knit group of dedicated, decisive, diverse and dynamic professionals.

The firm emphasizes being prepared for the unexpected and the unprecedented.

The culture values diversity among its professionals.

Nurturing client-attorney relationships is a core cultural priority.

Know someone who'd be great for this?