Labor & Employment Counsel

McGuireWoods seeks a Counsel to join its Labor & Employment Department in the firm’s Los Angeles (Century City) office.

About The Team

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. Our litigators and trial lawyers defend employers across every form of employment claim in state and federal courts and in arbitral forums, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower, and restrictive covenant disputes. We are the go-to team for our clients' most sensitive and high-stakes employment matters.
• Wage & Hour Class, Collective, and Representative Actions. We defend employers against FLSA collective claims, state wage-and-hour class actions, and PAGA representative actions — including off-the-clock, meal and rest break, misclassification, and improper notice claims. Our partners have defeated class certification, won trials and arbitrations, and negotiated favorable outcomes at every stage of litigation.
• Labor Relations. Our labor management relations team handles union petitions, campaigns, NLRB elections, collective bargaining negotiations, grievance arbitrations, and unfair labor practice proceedings. We help clients build and maintain positive employee relations strategies—whether in unionized or non-unionized settings.

The team represents domestic and international employers across diverse industries, including manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, education, retail, hospitality, insurance, natural resources, and professional services. As Counsel, you would work alongside partners and associates who combine deep subject-matter expertise with a practical, business-first mindset—crafting solutions that align with each client’s operational realities and strategic goals.

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.

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.
• Willingness and desire to work with innovative technology platforms, including Harvey AI to accelerate research, streamline document drafting, and enhance analytical work.
• Admission to the California Bar is required.

Benefits

McGuireWoods offers excellent benefits, a competitive salary with hours and merit bonus opportunities, and billable hours credit for pro bono work. The firm continually establishes new initiatives and enhances existing efforts to provide meaningful support for lawyers in their careers.

Pay

$310,000 - $450,000