Litigation Paralegal

About the role

Gibson Dunn is a leading global law firm, advising clients on significant transactions and disputes. Our exceptional teams craft and deploy creative legal strategies that are meticulously tailored to every matter, however complex or high-stakes. The firm's work is distinguished by a unique combination of precision and vision. Based in our Los Angeles office, the Litigation Paralegal will be responsible for supporting attorneys and other paralegal staff in all phases of litigation, including case management, court filings, document review and production, docket management, document organization, drafting and responding to discovery, deposition and trial preparation, and cite-checking. Working under attorney supervision, you will have the opportunity to work on high stakes cases with a dynamic legal team. This role reports to the Associate Director of Paralegal Services and the Manager, Paralegal Services.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Drive the end-to-end administration of complex litigation cases from initiation through trial and appeals, owning critical path items.
• Construct and refine appellate records and appendices by compiling and meticulously reviewing trial court documents and transcripts.
• Orchestrate calendaring strategies for case deadlines, ensuring strict adherence to court rules and firm protocols.
• Draft and prepare court filings for Federal and State courts, including appellate courts, maintaining exacting standards of form and substance.
• Coordinate and advance discovery processes, managing document collection, organization, review, and production with technical acumen.
• Execute rigorous proofreading, cite checking, and Bluebooking of all court briefs and discovery documents to eliminate inconsistencies.
• Support the preparation of depositions, meetings, and interviews by assembling necessary materials and background intelligence.
• Facilitate all aspects of trial and arbitration preparations, including extensive travel coordination and logistical planning.
• Partner with litigation and appellate teams to build comprehensive preparation for oral arguments, creating case and briefing binders.
• Design and maintain various charts and indices that track case developments and evidentiary matrices.
• Author and submit accurate timekeeping reports in compliance with firm billing guidelines and deadlines.
• Liaise with external vendors to streamline workflow, manage timelines, and ensure confidentiality standards.
• Execute diverse day-to-day case management tasks that uphold the efficiency and integrity of the litigation lifecycle.

Requirements

• Ability to support complex litigation cases from beginning to end, demonstrating resilience and follow-through across all stages.
• Excellent organizational skills and a strong attention to detail, with a proven capacity to manage multiple priorities without error.
• Flexible and able to multi-task, balancing competing demands and aggressive deadlines with professionalism.
• Proactive and resourceful approach to workload management, efficiently handling numerous client matters concurrently.
• Must possess strong written and verbal communication skills, adapting tone and content for varied audiences.
• Superior analytical and reasoning abilities, enabling precise assessment of documents and procedural issues.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a cohesive team, collaborating effectively with members across multiple offices.
• Available to travel as needed, including last-minute arrangements for trial support and client meetings.
• Ability to work overtime as necessary to meet critical deadlines and respond to emergent case needs.
• Understanding of common litigation practices, procedures, regulations, and workflow within a high-stakes environment.
• Bachelor's degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and substantive paralegal experience.
• Candidate must meet any applicable state requirements governing the performance of paralegal duties, including any required certifications or qualifications.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience at an AmLaw 100 firm preferred.
• Proficient in California state and U.S. federal court procedures, ensuring filings meet jurisdiction-specific requirements.
• Proficiency in Lexis Nexis and Westlaw for efficient legal research and document drafting.
• Proficient in iManage for document management and matter control.
• Experience with eDiscovery Databases such as Relativity, Opus 2, and CaseMap for efficient information governance.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Adobe to produce polished materials and manage workflows.

Nice to have

• Experience with complex litigation matters in Los Angeles or similar major legal markets.
• Familiarity with cross-functional collaboration in a large, multi-office firm environment.

Practical notes

• Available hours: Full-time.
• Travel: As needed, including last-minute arrangements.
• Visa: Open to sponsorship where applicable.
• Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.