Habitability - Associate Attorney

Wilson Elser•San Francisco, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role focuses on defending property owners, landlords, property management companies, and other clients in Superior Court litigation that typically involves habitability (mold, code defects), Wrongful Eviction and Premises Liability claims. Our cases involve overlap with construction defect and often require navigating the rent stabilization acts to properly evaluate the exposure for our clients. The ideal candidate will have strong litigation experience in landlord-tenant, habitability, premises liability, insurance coverage, or related litigation, excellent analytical skills, and the ability to manage cases from inception through resolution. The ideal candidate for this role would also have strong familiarity with the San Francisco, Alameda County, and Los Angeles County tenant protection ordinance.

Requirements

JD from an ABA-accredited law school
Admitted to practice in California
2+ years of litigation experience required
Experience drafting discovery, pleadings, dispositive motions, and pretrial motions required
Superior analytical, writing, and communication skills
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing deadlines
Ability to work independently while also contributing to a collaborative team environment

Nice To Haves

Experience in habitability, landlord-tenant, premises liability, insurance defense, or related litigation strongly preferred
Experience in coordinating inspections and working with construction, building, environmental, or medical experts preferred
Experience with cases involving multiple defendants, property managers, contractors, maintenance companies, or insurers preferred
Experience handling court appearances, depositions, mediations, and expert discovery preferred
Experience cross-examining plaintiffs, fact witnesses, and/or experts preferred
Strong familiarity with the San Francisco, Alameda County, and Los Angeles County tenant protection ordinance

Responsibilities

Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, legal memoranda, discovery, and other legal documents
Handle court appearances, depositions, mediations, and other litigation events
Manage a litigation caseload as part of a collaborative team, with level of independence based on experience
Develop case strategy, evaluate liability and damages, and work toward efficient resolution of matters
Communicate with clients, carriers, experts, opposing counsel, and witnesses
Prepare status reports, case evaluations, and other client-facing updates
Collaborate with attorneys across offices and practice areas, contributing to a cohesive and supportive team environment