Position Summary
The Employment & Class Action Paralegal will provide comprehensive litigation support to attorneys handling individual employment matters and complex class action and representative actions, including those brought under California's Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). This position requires exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, strong legal writing abilities, and the ability to manage multiple high-volume cases simultaneously.
The ideal candidate has extensive experience in California employment litigation and class action practice and is comfortable working independently while collaborating with attorneys, legal assistants, and other support staff.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Litigation Support
- Assist attorneys throughout all phases of employment litigation.
- Prepare and organize case files from inception through trial.
- Draft pleadings, motions, notices, subpoenas, and legal correspondence.
- Prepare civil cover sheets, summonses, proofs of service, and filing documents.
- Coordinate service of process.
- File documents electronically in California state and federal courts.
- Maintain litigation calendars and monitor all deadlines.
Discovery
- Draft discovery requests, including:
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- Draft responses to written discovery.
- Organize and review document productions.
- Prepare privilege logs.
- Manage document review databases.
- Coordinate large-scale electronic discovery.
- Prepare discovery indexes and production logs.
- Draft meet-and-confer correspondence.
Depositions
- Schedule depositions.
- Coordinate court reporters and videographers.
- Prepare deposition notices.
- Assemble deposition exhibits.
- Summarize deposition transcripts.
- Prepare witness files.
- Assist attorneys with deposition preparation.
Class Action & PAGA Litigation
- Assist in managing wage and hour class action litigation.
- Support PAGA representative actions.
- Organize class member information.
- Review payroll records.
- Analyze employee data.
- Assist with damages calculations.
- Coordinate with class administrators.
- Maintain confidential employee databases.
- Prepare mediation materials.
- Assist with settlement administration.
Trial Preparation
- Prepare trial binders.
- Organize exhibits.
- Prepare witness files.
- Coordinate expert witnesses.
- Assist with jury instructions.
- Draft exhibit and witness lists.
- Prepare trial notebooks.
- Coordinate courtroom logistics.
- Support attorneys during trial.
Client Communication
- Maintain regular communication with clients.
- Obtain employment records and supporting documentation.
- Coordinate document collection.
- Schedule meetings and depositions.
- Provide status updates as directed by attorneys.
Case Management
- Maintain electronic and physical case files.
- Track litigation deadlines.
- Update case management software.
- Monitor attorney task lists.
- Ensure compliance with court rules and firm procedures.
- Coordinate with vendors and litigation support providers.
Qualifications
Required
- Minimum of 5 years of California employment litigation experience.
- Minimum of 3 years supporting employment class actions and/or PAGA litigation.
- Extensive experience in California civil litigation.
- Experience with California Code of Civil Procedure deadlines.
- Proficiency with e-filing in California state and federal courts.
- Strong knowledge of employment law procedures.
- Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to prioritize competing deadlines.
- High attention to detail.
Preferred
- ABA-approved Paralegal Certificate.
- Bachelor's Degree.
- Trial experience.
- Experience with mediation preparation.
- Experience managing high-volume litigation caseloads.
- Bilingual (Spanish) preferred but not required.
Technical Skills
Experience with:
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Outlook
- Excel
- Legal case management software
- Electronic document management systems
- Relativity or similar eDiscovery platforms (preferred)
- One Legal
- File & ServeXpress
- PACER
- LexisNexis and Westlaw
Practice Areas
Experience supporting matters involving:
- Wrongful Termination
- Employment Discrimination
- Sexual Harassment
- Retaliation
- Whistleblower Claims
- Failure to Accommodate
- Interactive Process
- Wage & Hour Litigation
- Meal and Rest Break Violations
- Overtime Claims
- Misclassification
- PAGA Actions
- Class Actions
- FEHA Claims
- FMLA/CFRA
Core Competencies
Successful candidates will demonstrate:
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Strong legal writing skills
- Excellent organizational abilities
- Ability to manage multiple priorities
- Sound judgment and professionalism
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Client-focused mindset
- Effective communication
- Team collaboration
- Initiative and accountability
- Confidentiality and discretion