SR PARALEGAL

El Pollo Loco•Costa Mesa, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Paralegal position supports the company’s employment and commercial litigation portfolio and serves as a key partner to Legal and HR, as well as the broader business. The role manages matter and litigation intake, insurance, tenders, legal holds, case tracking, discovery, subpoenas, invoicing and budgeting and coordination with outside counsel. This role will also support HR on employment-related transactional legal matters. The position requires strong organization skills, sound business judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion.

Requirements

Associate degree or equivalent required, BA degree preferred.
Minimum 8+ years’ experience as a paralegal required, specializing in employment litigation matters.
Retail/hospitality/restaurant industry and in-house experience preferred.

Nice To Haves

Paralegal certificate from an accredited program preferred.
Deep experience with Employment law matters and administrative agencies.
Experience managing discovery, subpoenas, and litigation case files.
Experience coordinating with HR teams on employment disputes.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
High attention to detail and ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
Cross-functional collaboration (Legal, HR, Operations)
Deadline management and organization
Problem solving and sound judgment

Responsibilities

Litigation Intake & Case Management
Manage legal intake and tendering for employment and commercial disputes, including demand letters, complaints, subpoenas, and government inquiries.
Maintain litigation tracking reports and files, including case status, key milestones, financial reserves, and outside counsel updates and manage case calendar; Track invoices and litigation budgets and assist with cost management.
Coordinate with insurance, internal stakeholders and outside counsel to ensure timely case progression and consistent strategy.
Coordinate discovery responses including document collection, review, and production.
Work with internal teams (HR, operations, finance, IT) to gather responsive documents.
Manage document repositories and e-discovery platforms.
Prepare chronologies, case summaries, and document indexes.
Coordinate and help drive case strategy through communication with outside counsel.
Subpoenas & Records Management
Receive, log, and manage subpoenas, records requests, and third-party discovery as Custodian of Record.
Coordinate responses to subpoenas and records requests in compliance with applicable laws.
Identify and collect responsive materials.
Track subpoena compliance deadlines and manage document production.
Employment Litigation & HR Advisory Support
Serve as a partner to HR on employment disputes, complaints, and pre-litigation matters.
Support department attorneys providing employment advice and counsel including wage and hour, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and accommodation matters; Support trainings led by Legal.
Legal Operations & Risk Management
Maintain litigation templates, forms, and process documentation.
Assist with legal holds and document preservation processes.
Track litigation trends and support internal reporting to Legal leadership and business teams.
Help develop internal resources and training materials related to litigation risk and compliance.
Other duties as assigned.