Associate Attorney - Litigation

Litigation Associate Attorney – Commercial Litigation

Location: Dallas, Texas
Employment Type: Full-Time
Target Experience: 3–6 Years
Compensation: $170,000–$230,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications
Additional Compensation: Performance bonus and potential signing bonus
Search Type: Confidential Law Firm Opportunity

Position Overview

A respected Dallas business law firm is seeking a high-performing Litigation Associate Attorney to join its sophisticated commercial litigation practice.

This is an associate-level opportunity specifically targeting attorneys with three to six years of substantive litigation experience. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent academic credentials, superior research and writing abilities, sound professional judgment, and a record of progressively increasing responsibility.

Attorneys with more than six years of experience will generally be competitive only if they have an established portable book of business that complements the firm’s practice.

The associate will participate in all phases of pretrial litigation, from client intake and early case assessment through discovery, motion practice, depositions, hearings, settlement proceedings, and final trial preparation. The firm represents businesses, financial institutions, fiduciaries, healthcare organizations, employers, executives, and other clients in complex commercial and business disputes.

This opportunity is well suited for an attorney seeking sophisticated litigation work, meaningful responsibility, direct client exposure, and long-term professional development within a highly regarded Dallas practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in prospective-client intake, case evaluation, and strategy development
• Conduct sophisticated legal research and prepare clear, practical written analyses
• Draft pleadings, dispositive motions, briefs, discovery, and other substantive litigation documents
• Manage written discovery, document collection, review, production, and privilege analysis
• Prepare for, take, and defend depositions
• Interview clients, witnesses, custodians, and other individuals with relevant information
• Coordinate with expert witnesses, consultants, vendors, and e-discovery professionals
• Prepare for and participate in hearings, mediations, settlement conferences, and other proceedings
• Communicate directly with clients regarding case strategy, deadlines, risks, and developments
• Negotiate discovery and other case-related matters with opposing counsel
• Prepare witness outlines, exhibit lists, motions in limine, pretrial filings, and trial-readiness materials
• Assist partners in evaluating settlement opportunities and preparing matters for trial
• Supervise and coordinate paralegals, legal assistants, and other support professionals when appropriate
• Record time accurately and satisfy applicable billing and client-service expectations

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
• Active Texas law license and good standing with the State Bar of Texas
• Three to six years of substantive litigation experience
• Experience handling the major phases of pretrial litigation
• Experience drafting substantive motions, briefs, pleadings, and discovery
• Working knowledge of document production, depositions, hearings, and trial preparation
• Excellent legal research, analytical, writing, and oral advocacy skills
• Strong academic performance at both the undergraduate and law-school levels
• Demonstrated professional growth and progressively increasing responsibility
• Excellent judgment, professionalism, and attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple sophisticated matters under demanding deadlines
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and client-service skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with complex commercial or business litigation
• Law review membership strongly preferred, but not required
• Other academic distinctions, honors, or evidence of exceptional academic achievement
• Judicial clerkship experience
• Meaningful deposition, hearing, mediation, or courtroom experience
• Experience with financial services, construction, employment, healthcare, employee benefits, real estate, corporate, fiduciary, or trust and estate disputes
• Admission to the federal courts serving Texas

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range is $170,000–$230,000 annually, depending on experience, academic and professional credentials, and overall qualifications. The position is also eligible for a performance bonus. A signing bonus may be available for an exceptionally qualified candidate.

Confidential Application Process

This opportunity is being handled as a confidential search by a third-party recruiting firm. The client’s identity and additional information will be shared with qualified candidates at the appropriate stage of the recruiting process.

Candidate information will not be submitted to the client without first discussing the opportunity and obtaining the candidate’s authorization. Applicants should direct all inquiries and application materials through the recruiter rather than contacting prospective client firms directly.

Qualified candidates will be considered without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.