Litigation Attorney Workers' Compensation (California)

Overview

This role involves handling all aspects of workers’ compensation cases with varying degrees of complexity, while providing other litigation and claim legal advice and services across the organization.

The position is designed for proactive, high-quality case handling using legal expertise and litigation skills to independently manage a caseload of moderate exposure cases and standard litigation matters and deliver optimal results.

Responsibilities

• Provide litigation services and manage all aspects of assigned Workers’ Compensation matters.
• Manage the entire legal process, from investigation and discovery through trial preparation and court proceedings, including depositions, site inspections, court hearings, trials, and negotiations of settlements as required with minimal supervision.
• Litigate workers’ compensation cases in California before all state and federal courts, administrative boards, and other court proceedings.
• Represent the organization, its related entities, and insureds before administrative boards, state and federal courts, Court of Appeal, and the California Supreme Court.
• Assist in premium audit disputes before administrative boards or other court proceedings.
• Assist in subpoenas and other third-party discovery.
• Analyze legal and factual issues; conduct extensive, well-reasoned legal research as necessary.
• Independently develop and present defense strategies on behalf of the organization.
• Ensure prompt, efficient, and effective disposition of assigned cases.
• Provide accurate legal analysis and strategy recommendations to clients and claims personnel.
• Assist in analyzing, reviewing, and distributing information on new legislation, regulations, court decisions, and proceedings.
• Provide strategic legal advice and recommend and implement clear, cost-effective, and efficient plans of action.
• Deliver ongoing quality assessments of the law and facts and recommendations for timely resolution.
• Assist in analyzing referrals from claims and determine need for outside investigation or other information from the insured or others.
• Provide effective and timely communications, information, legal advice, and other services to clients and claims professionals on legal and factual issues.
• Develop, with minimal supervision, appropriate legal strategies for all stages of litigation and share them with claims personnel and clients.
• Provide direction to legal support staff.
• Direct paralegals and other legal department staff in duties and responsibilities related to assigned matters.
• Ensure timely filing of pleadings, motions, and other documents with the court or administrative boards.
• Build and foster internal and external client relationships with a customer-centric focus.
• Adhere to all organizational policies and procedures and the California Rules of Professional Conduct.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• No direct supervisory responsibilities.
• The role will direct the work of support staff (which may include assistants and paralegals) in accordance with company policies and applicable laws, including the California Rules of Professional Conduct. Duties may include assigning and directing work; reviewing, revising, and approving legal documents; delegating tasks; and training, coaching, and mentoring support staff to ensure delivery of quality legal services.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university required.
• Juris Doctorate (JD) from an accredited law school required.
• Minimum 5 to 8 years of workers’ compensation litigation experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Licensed and in good standing with the State Bar of California required, with no history of public or private reprisals.

Knowledge and Skills

• Proficient knowledge in litigating California workers’ compensation matters, including experience handling cases of various types.
• Solid understanding of workers’ compensation administrative rules, procedures, laws, and statutes.
• Familiarity with business legal principles and practices preferred, including knowledge of billing practices and procedures.
• Demonstrated experience working independently under minimal supervision, maintaining a strong work ethic, and exercising initiative.
• Ability to communicate effectively with external and internal clients verbally and in writing.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical documents, legal materials of all types, and medical records.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills.
• Ability to respond to inquiries, issues, or questions from internal and external clients, businesses, members of the State Bar or Judiciary, and regulatory agencies, including effectively responding to sensitive inquiries or concerns.
• Ability to present information verbally and in writing to clients, claims personnel, management, mediators, arbitrators, judges, juries, and members of the public.
• Proficient use of a personal computer and skills with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to learn various proprietary computer applications.
• Ability to work with mathematical concepts including fractions, percentages, ratios, and algebra and geometry to practical situations.
• Ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions and problem-solve.
• Ability to define legal issues, collect necessary data, establish facts, draw legal conclusions, and implement a strategic legal resolution.
• Expert time management skills, appropriate delegation of activities, and ability to manage multiple legal matters at one time.

Physical Requirements

• Office environment: no specific or unusual physical or environmental demands; employees are regularly required to sit, walk, stand, talk, and hear.

Work Environment

• Office and court environment.
• Frequent use of a computer, telephone, copier, scanner, and other standard office equipment.
• Requires traveling to various court locations as well as other business locations.

Compensation & Benefits

• Current salary range: $119,748.71 - $201,947.98 (exclusive of fringe benefits and potential bonuses).
• Final base salary will be determined based on factors unique to each candidate, including experience, education, and the location of the role, and considers employees performing substantially similar work.
• Benefits package includes generous medical, dental, and vision plans, as well as 401K retirement plans and company match.
• Bonus potential for all positions.
• Paid Time Off.
• Paid holidays throughout the calendar year.
• Learning support.

Location

• Headquartered in San Diego with regional offices located throughout the United States.
• Remote work is supported (as indicated by “#LI-Remote”).

Additional Information

• We are currently not offering employment sponsorship for this opportunity.

Equal Opportunity

The organization is committed to creating a diverse environment and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex/gender, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.