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Litigation associate skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Leslie Heaphy Ph.D.,

James Tomaszewski

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical litigation associate skills. We ranked the top skills for litigation associates based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 28.5% of litigation associate resumes contained litigation as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a litigation associate needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 litigation associate skills for your resume and career

1. Litigation

Here's how litigation associates use litigation:

Focused on post-issuance IP litigation, however, also experienced with variety of legal topics including racial discrimination and veteran rights.
Participated in complex commercial litigation group, with matters involving insurance, entertainment, products liability, utilities and investment banking.

2. Law Firm

Here's how litigation associates use law firm:

Managed a variety of complex global reinsurance litigation/arbitration/mediation cases at a top tier London law firm.
Represent lawyers and law firms in matters involving alleged legal malpractice and professional misconduct.

3. Legal Research

Here's how litigation associates use legal research:

Performed legal research, prepared litigation documents, and conducted discovery in commercial and employment litigation matters.
Performed legal research and undertook all other litigation responsibilities from case inception to conclusion.

4. Commercial Litigation

Here's how litigation associates use commercial litigation:

Client-focused business and commercial litigation with an emphasis in intellectual property matters and federal court practice in all districts in Texas.
Researched issues arising in complex commercial litigation, and advised clients on litigation strategies at complex commercial litigation boutique firm.

5. Discovery Motions

Here's how litigation associates use discovery motions:

Experienced in taking and defending depositions, preparing and opposing affirmative discovery motions, and managing/organizing large-scale document review projects.
Supervised team filing discovery motions, drafting meet-and-confer correspondence, and reviewing disclosure forms.

6. Insurance Coverage

Here's how litigation associates use insurance coverage:

Obtained successful outcomes in retaliatory wrongful discharge, product liability, insurance coverage disputes, commercial contract disputes and collections.
Associate attorney specializing in complex civil litigation, insurance coverage, business litigation, construction defect and consumer protection cases.

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7. Civil Litigation

Civil litigation is a legal process that is followed when a non-criminal legal dispute occurs between two parties. Such a legal process does not involve any criminal charges or penalties. The plaintiffs in such cases only seek compensation for the damages done by the defendants.

Here's how litigation associates use civil litigation:

Assisted in strategic case management, project planning, and corresponding staff supervision involving civil litigation and intellectual property prosecution matters.
Represent privately held corporations, partnerships, and insurance companies in matters relating to commercial disputes and general civil litigation.

8. Intellectual Property

Intellectual properties refer to individuals' intangible or non-physical wealth, which results from their imaginations and intellect.

Here's how litigation associates use intellectual property:

Managed significant caseload and maintained excellent client relationships in diverse matters including contract, intellectual property, employment and construction disputes.
Served as local counsel for various matters, including litigation involving breach of fiduciary duty and federal intellectual property case.

9. Pre-Trial Motions

Pre-Trial Motions are those legal motions which are employed before the trial actually begins, often at hearings or outside of the courtroom. For example, a prosecutor or a defense attorney might file something called a "motion to dismiss", which is an attempt in getting the judge to consider dismissing the case in question before it can even get to trial.

Here's how litigation associates use pre-trial motions:

Prepare and argue pre-trial motions, trial and appellate briefs, and other contested matters in state and federal court.
Prepared pleadings, briefs, and motions throughout numerous aspects of litigation processes consisting of Original Answer to pre-trial motions.

10. Federal Courts

Federal courts refer to designated law system units mandated to rule cases that involve the constitution, the federal laws, cases entailing bankruptcy, the general conduct of the ambassadors and public ministers in treaties, and crimes that involve different states.

Here's how litigation associates use federal courts:

Litigated on behalf of both plaintiffs/petitioners and defendants/respondents in numerous state and federal courts, and judicial arbitration.
Represented leading domestic tobacco company in significant smoking and health litigation pending in state and federal courts.

11. Arbitration

Here's how litigation associates use arbitration:

Defended broker-dealers in arbitration cases involving investment suitability and alleged misrepresentation claims, including preparation of successful motions for summary judgment.
Led and assisted in out-of-court resolution of actions including settlement negotiations, mediation, and arbitration.

12. Mediation

Here's how litigation associates use mediation:

Second chaired mediation concerning ERISA withdrawal liability; resulted in favorable recovery for client.
Represented prominent international artist in contract dispute and successful mediation against former business manager.

13. Securities

Here's how litigation associates use securities:

Represented an international financial institution in an investigation by the SEC into the institution's mortgage-backed securities business.
Specialized in class action litigation with a focus on securities, pharmaceutical antitrust and corporate governance actions.

14. Employment Law

Employment law іѕ the соllесtіоn of laws аnd rules that rеgulаtе thе rеlаtіоnѕhір bеtwееn employers and еmрlоуееѕ. It gоvеrnѕ whаt еmрlоуеrѕ саn еxресt from еmрlоуееѕ, whаt еmрlоуеrѕ саn ask of еmрlоуееѕ, and employees' rights аt wоrk. Employment law covers a wіdе range оf issues, frоm реnѕіоnѕ аnd retirement рlаnѕ to occupational safety аnd tо discrimination in thе workplace.

Here's how litigation associates use employment law:

Provided legal advice for employers respecting litigation strategy, litigation prevention and compliance respecting employment law and employee benefits plans.
Researched and analyzed various employment law topics and procedural legal issues.

15. Motion Practice

Here's how litigation associates use motion practice:

Mentored junior associate in first deposition; supervised junior associates and paralegals in electronic discovery (e-discovery) and motion practice.
Represented corporations in commercial and collection matters including preparation of pleadings, motion practice, settlement negotiations and enforcement of judgments.

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What skills help Litigation Associates find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on litigation associate resumes?

Leslie Heaphy Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Kent State University

-Online teaching experience
-Flexibility in teaching modalities
-Research and critical thinking continue to be important
-Digital technology
-Ability to ask good questions
-Writing skills
-Understanding facts

What hard/technical skills are most important for litigation associates?

James Tomaszewski

Director of the Center for Professional Development, University of Cincinnati

Excellent writing skills.

What soft skills should all litigation associates possess?

James Tomaszewski

Director of the Center for Professional Development, University of Cincinnati

Engagement, Resilience, Responsiveness, Respectfulness, Integrity.

What litigation associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Andrea Schneider

Professor of Law, Marquette University

Law school graduates should focus on developing client interaction skills and dispute resolution skills, including active listening, understanding emotional intelligence, and non-defensive communication. The need for low-cost legal assistance, particularly in large urban areas, in foreclosure, eviction, unemployment, and bankruptcy will be significant. Volunteers with legal training will be needed to address unprecedented impacts on individuals in many areas of the law. They could also work on the software or technological skills that law school may not have provided but which will make them even more attractive to employers after the pandemic.

What type of skills will young litigation associates need?

Richard Meltz

Senior Advisor and Internship Manager Staff, The Ohio State University

For global affairs careers, many skill sets are sought. Language skills are valuable. All job seekers need basic computer skills. Word processing, spreadsheet and data analysis, excellent writing and communication skills are sought. Aside from these basic skills, the range of skills employers seek becomes more specialized. Computer mapping skills and the ability to analyze political, economic, social, and environmental issues with depth are sought. By numbers of jobs, the private sector is larger than the government sector. The understanding of how business and international trade works is useful.

What technical skills for a litigation associate stand out to employers?

Paula Smith

Assistant Dean for Career & Professional Development, Texas Tech University

Legal employers are seeking young lawyers with a good academic grasp of the law, excellent legal research and writing skills, advocacy abilities including negotiation, trial, and appellate exposure, and personal attributes of integrity, teamwork, diligence, resilience, and an expectation of success.

Do you want to know more?

List of litigation associate skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a litigation associate resume and required skills for a litigation associate to have include:

Litigation
Law Firm
Legal Research
Commercial Litigation
Discovery Motions
Insurance Coverage
Civil Litigation
Intellectual Property
Pre-Trial Motions
Federal Courts
Arbitration
Mediation
Securities
Employment Law
Motion Practice
Insurance Defense
Family Law

Court Appearances
Complex Litigation
Appeals
Class Action
State Courts
Oral Arguments
Employment Litigation
Dispositive Motions
Real Estate Litigation
Business Litigation
Settlement Agreements
Medical Malpractice
Legal Memoranda
Legal Issues
Interrogatories
Professional Liability
Labor Law

Subpoenas
Pro Bono
District Court
Premises Liability
Plaintiff
Construction Litigation
Products Liability
Corporate Clients
Probate
ERISA
Contract Disputes
Internal Investigations
Summary Judgment Motions
Construction Defect
Settlement Conferences

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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