Senior Counsel (Complex Trial)

TL;DR

Senior Counsel (Complex Trial) (Insurance Defense): Leading high-exposure civil defense litigation and complex trials with an accent on case strategy, courtroom advocacy, client advisement, and litigation management. Focus on directing catastrophic injury, wrongful death, property damage, and professional liability matters, collaborating with experts, and mentoring legal teams through demanding trial work.

Location: San Diego, California; remote, hybrid, or onsite work options are available within the United States. An active California bar license is required, with eligibility to practice in federal courts.

Salary: $160,000–$190,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications. Attorneys may also receive an annual billable-hours bonus.

Company

Tyson & Mendes is a nationally scaled civil defense law firm specializing in insurance defense, trial advocacy, and high-exposure litigation.

What you will do

• Lead jury trials, bench trials, mediations, and complex insurance defense matters involving catastrophic injury, wrongful death, property damage, and professional liability.
• Develop case strategies covering risk assessment, discovery, motion practice, trial preparation, and settlement negotiations.
• Advise clients, insurance carriers, and adjusters on legal strategy, case assessments, and developments.
• Manage litigation from pleadings and discovery through depositions, pre-trial motions, and resolution.
• Collaborate with medical, forensic, engineering, and economic experts to strengthen case arguments.
• Supervise and mentor junior attorneys, paralegals, and support staff.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in California and eligibility to practice in federal courts.
• 8+ years of insurance defense litigation experience with a strong focus on complex trial work.
• Demonstrated success as lead trial counsel in multiple high-stakes cases.
• Strong knowledge of civil procedure, tort law, insurance law, trial strategy, legal writing, oral advocacy, and negotiation.
• Ability to manage a large caseload independently and communicate complex legal strategies effectively.

Nice to have

• Experience with catastrophic injury, construction defect, or professional liability cases.
• Experience with e-discovery tools and case management software.
• Membership in local or national trial lawyer associations.

Culture & Benefits

• Flexible work model with remote, hybrid, and onsite options.
• Comprehensive health, vision, dental, and life insurance coverage, including plans available at no employee cost.
• 401(k) program with employer matching.
• Paid parental leave, flexible vacation, technology reimbursement, and student loan repayment assistance or a 529 college savings plan.
• Trial Academy, in-house training, CLE programs, leadership development, and a defined pathway to partnership.
• Diversity and inclusion programs, charitable giving initiatives, and firm-wide social events.