Senior Litigation Paralegal

About the role

This is a senior, on-site role at a nationally recognized criminal and civil trial boutique in New York City. The firm is preparing for a major federal trial expected in the first half of 2027, with motion practice already underway.

Responsibilities

• Help the attorneys manage and organize cases from start to finish.
• Maintain and update case files, including pleadings, discovery documents, correspondence, expert reports, and exhibits.
• Build and track case timelines, calendars, and deadlines so that nothing is missed.
• Cook with clients, witnesses, experts, vendors, opposing counsel, and co-counsel.
• Prepare, proofread, and edit legal documents, including pleadings, motions, briefs, affidavits, and sentencing memos.
• Bluebook and cite-check briefs, and prepare tables of contents and tables of authorities.
• File documents in state and federal court and follow all court rules and e-filing steps.
• Organize and maintain electronic document databases, and keep all files confidential and easy to find.
• Help prepare and respond to discovery requests, including document productions and interrogatories.
• Manage document review, often across large volumes of data.
• Draft memos, correspondence, charts, and research summaries.
• Run legal research using Westlaw, LexisNexis, and PACER.
• Prepare trial exhibits, witness lists, and other trial materials.
• Provide on-site support during trials, hearings, and depositions.
• Manage exhibits, coordinate witnesses, and run courtroom technology.
• Mentor and train the junior paralegal.
• Enter your time each day into the firm's practice management software.

Requirements

• Essential: Paralegal experience at a large law firm.
• Hands-on litigation and trial experience, including support for motion practice, sentencing memos, exhibit management, witness coordination, and e-filing.
• Experience with New York state court and federal court filings and procedures, including the Southern District of New York (SDNY).
• Strong Bluebook and cite-checking skills, and experience preparing tables of contents and tables of authorities.
• Excellent proofreading, attention to detail, and written communication.
• The ability to supervise and mentor a junior paralegal and keep quality high across all deliverables.
• The ability to support the defense of clients who face serious criminal charges, including matters that involve sexual assault and sex trafficking.
• The ability to work well under pressure and meet tight deadlines, including extended hours during trial preparation and trial.
• Proficiency with Westlaw, LexisNexis, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and legal practice management software.
• A bachelor's degree.
• Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Availability to work on-site in Manhattan, with overtime, occasional weekends, and short-notice travel to courthouses when needed.
• Preferred: 5 to 7 years of professional paralegal experience.
• A bachelor's degree from a competitive university, and/or a paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program.
• Experience in criminal defense or white-collar criminal defense.
• Familiarity with California court formatting and filing.
• Experience with eDiscovery and litigation tools such as Relativity, CaseMap/TimeMap, West Case Notebook, and PACER.

Benefits

• Base salary: $90,000 to $120,000 per year, based on experience.
• Overtime is paid during heavy trial periods.
• A year-end performance bonus.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 10 days of paid time off (PTO).
• 5 paid sick days.
• A 401(k) plan is being put in place and is expected to be available by the end of 2026.