General Liability Associate Attorney

Our firm is committed to attracting and retaining professionals who value each other and the service we provide by embracing teamwork, collaboration, client service, and innovation. If you are a motivated attorney looking for a long-term opportunity where you can grow, take ownership of your work, and be valued as part of a collaborative team, we invite you to apply for our General Liability Litigation Attorney position in our Columbia, South Carolina office.

This position may be structured at the Associate, depending on experience. We welcome candidates with 3+ years of litigation experience, as well as more senior attorneys who are comfortable independently managing complex defense matters.

This position offers a flexible hybrid working arrangement.

The Position

This is an excellent opportunity for attorneys with litigation experience who are looking to grow their careers and take on increased responsibility in a busy and sophisticated defense litigation practice. The role focuses on defending clients in general liability, transportation, premises liability, catastrophic injury, construction-related injury, hospitality/recreation liability, products liability, trucking, auto defense, and other complex civil defense matters.

Attorneys earlier in their careers will have the opportunity to build on their litigation foundation through meaningful case work, mentorship, court appearances, depositions, motion practice, mediations, and direct client interaction. More senior candidates will have the opportunity to take on greater autonomy, manage complex matters, develop case strategy, work closely with clients and carriers, and gain hands-on trial experience.

The ideal candidate will have strong litigation experience, excellent analytical and writing skills, and the ability to manage cases from inception through resolution as part of a collaborative team.

Key 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
• For senior candidates, independently manage complex matters and help mentor more junior attorneys, as appropriate

Qualifications

• JD from an ABA-accredited law school
• Admitted to practice in South Carolina
• 3+ years of litigation experience required
• Defense litigation experience strongly preferred
• Experience with general liability, transportation, catastrophic injury, premises liability, construction-related injury, hospitality/recreation liability, products liability, trucking, auto defense, and/or other complex civil defense matters welcome
• Experience drafting discovery, pleadings, dispositive motions, and pretrial motions required
• Experience handling court appearances, depositions, mediations, and expert discovery preferred
• Experience cross-examining plaintiffs, fact witnesses, and/or experts preferred
• Trial or second-chair trial experience a plus
• 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