Sr Paralegal – Workers' Comp, Orange County

Nationwide•Irvine, CA

4d•$62,500 - $93,500•Hybrid

About The Position

Nationwide's Legal team is seeking a passionate Sr Paralegal to join their diverse organization. This role supports a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales, delivering innovative business solutions with excellence. The position is a hybrid work opportunity within the Nationwide Trial Division (NTD), a national team with approximately 40 offices across the United States. Senior Paralegals require low to moderate guidance and oversight, possess a strong working knowledge of property and casualty insurance defense and/or subrogation law, and have a strong understanding of legal concepts, terminology, and processes. The role involves providing pre-trial and trial support to legal professionals representing clients under both commercial and personal lines insurance policies, supporting highly productive legal teams with a significant case volume. The ideal candidate will be adaptable, technologically skilled, possess strong collaboration skills, and bring a team-oriented approach to a civil litigation environment.

Requirements

Typically, five years of experience in a paralegal capacity doing demonstrated insurance related litigation.
Has strong knowledge of each file assigned to trial team(s) and is capable of understanding the relevancy of case information.
Has general knowledge of law office operations, practices, and procedures.
Experience in filing and scheduling procedures of the various courts, the use of federal and state e-filing and e-Court systems.
Strong verbal and written communication skills for interaction with attorneys, paralegals, court personnel, clients, and claims staff.
Strong research and organizational skills, detail oriented, focused, technologically savvy, adaptable to learning new systems and processes, and can prioritize and multi-task.
Exercises independent initiative and judgment in daily tasks.
Must also acknowledge and comply with all corporate and NTD policies and procedures.
Complies with the private practice of law policy and the ethical rules of the state where the position is located.
A valid credit and/or background check will be required as part of the selection process.

Nice To Haves

Workers' compensation defense experience preferred.
Undergraduate studies in business administration, insurance, or other related area(s) preferred.
Certification in paralegal studies strongly preferred and/or demonstrated insurance litigation related paralegal experience.
Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, and case management databases, such as Legal Files, is preferred.
Understanding of both personal and commercial lines policies is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provides direct pre-trial and trial support generally for litigated matters with varied complexity.
Assists in the drafting, review, filing, and service of pleadings, motions, and at times complex motions such as motions in limine and dispositive motions, discovery, and subpoenas.
Reviews and drafts documents for document production requests.
Analyzes and drafts responses to incoming discovery.
Reviews and summarizes medical records.
Conducts legal research and writing assignments, which may include the preparation of medical chronologies and drafts of impactful deposition summaries of fact and expert witnesses.
Proactively assists the attorney to move case files to trial/resolution.
May also attend case related events, provides trial support, and supports and/or is a change champion in technology.
Brings a well-developed sense of organization to coordinate workflow, maintain filing and follow up system, and support the overall litigation strategy.
Coordinates and schedules depositions, hearings, and meetings; and communicates with clients and expert witnesses.
Provides administrative support to trial team(s), including the retrieval of information from our document management system, and the assembly of exhibits, binders, and appendices for depositions, court filings, hearings, and trial.
Maintains working knowledge of court procedures and local rules.
Reviews court dockets and retrieves case information.
Understands and maintains confidentiality with respect to the attorney-client privilege/relationship, trial strategies, ethics rules, the identities of the plaintiff, defense clients and claims’ customers.
Performs legal assistant and other administrative duties.
May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

medical/dental/vision
life insurance
short and long term disability coverage
paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date
nine paid holidays
8 hours of Lifetime paid time off
8 hours of Unity Day paid time off
401(k) with company match
company-paid pension plan
business casual attire