Labor & Employment Counsel

Mcguire • Los Angeles, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

McGuireWoods seeks a Counsel to join its Labor & Employment Department in the firm’s Los Angeles (Century City) office. McGuireWoods’ Labor & Employment group is one of the most active employer-side practices in the country, handling upwards of 4,000 employment-related matters each year for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to emerging businesses and nonprofits. The Los Angeles team operates at the intersection of three core practice areas: Employment Litigation, Wage & Hour Class, Collective, and Representative Actions, and Labor Relations. The team represents domestic and international employers across diverse industries, including manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, education, retail, hospitality, insurance, natural resources, and professional services. Attorneys at the Counsel level leverage their established expertise across class action defense, single-plaintiff litigation, administrative proceedings, and client counseling—independently managing matters, mentoring junior associates, and serving as a trusted resource for clients.

Requirements

• 6+ years of relevant California labor and employment experience at a leading law firm
• Demonstrated experience helping lead and manage the defense of wage and hour class actions and PAGA actions, including directing discovery, managing witness interviews, and briefing class certification and decertification issues.
• Proven ability to independently manage single-plaintiff employment cases from inception through resolution—including depositions, discovery, dispositive motions, mediations, and trial or arbitration—in state and federal court with minimal supervision.
• Experience representing clients in administrative hearings and proceedings, on EEOC/CRD charges, and in responses to demand letters.
• Experience advising clients on California labor and employment compliance issues, including handbooks, policies, and workforce restructuring.
• Excellent legal research, analysis, and writing abilities, with deep working knowledge of California state and federal court procedural and evidence rules.
• Strong client relationship management skills and the ability to serve as a trusted advisor to in-house counsel and business stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide junior attorneys.
• Admission to the California Bar is required.

Nice To Haves

• Willingness and desire to work with innovative technology platforms.
• Attorneys leverage Harvey AI to accelerate research, streamline document drafting, and enhance analytical work, enabling attorneys to focus on higher-value strategic thinking and client engagement.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage and defend single-plaintiff employment cases from inception through resolution—including all phases of discovery, depositions, dispositive motions, mediations, and trial or arbitration—with minimal partner supervision.
• Participate in leading and executing on the defense of wage and hour class actions and PAGA representative actions, including directing discovery strategy, conducting witness interviews, and briefing class certification and decertification issues.
• Represent clients in administrative hearings and proceedings, respond to EEOC and CRD charges, and draft responses to demand letters.
• Develop and maintain client relationships, serving as a day-to-day point of contact on active matters and providing strategic counsel on litigation risk and case resolution.
• Mentor and supervise junior associates working with you on matters, providing guidance on legal research, brief writing, deposition preparation, and professional development.
• Exercise strategic litigation judgment in collaboration with partners on complex, high-exposure matters and contribute to business development within the practice group.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Hours and merit bonus opportunities
• Billable hours credit for pro bono work
• Competitive compensation package
• Eligibility for a generous productivity bonus program that provides significant additional earning potential based on individual performance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed