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How to hire a litigation attorney

Litigation attorney hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring litigation attorneys in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a litigation attorney is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per litigation attorney on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 247,426 litigation attorneys in the US and 6,918 job openings.
  • Los Angeles, CA, has the highest demand for litigation attorneys, with 69 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of litigation attorneys.

How to hire a litigation attorney, step by step

To hire a litigation attorney, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a litigation attorney:

Here's a step-by-step litigation attorney hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a litigation attorney job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new litigation attorney
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a litigation attorney do?

A Litigation Attorney manages all phases of the litigation process from investigation and pleading to trial, settlement, and appeal. They also question witnesses, victims, and others involved in cases.

Learn more about the specifics of what a litigation attorney does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a litigation attorney, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A litigation attorney's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, litigation attorneys from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    The following list breaks down different types of litigation attorneys and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Litigation AttorneyDescriptionHourly rate
    Litigation AttorneyLawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.$33-82
    General CounselA general counsel, also called a chief legal officer, is the chief lawyer in the legal department of an organization. The counsel represents an enterprise for any pending legal matters... Show more$36-100
    Law ClerkLaw clerks are employees in a legal firm who handle clerical tasks for the office. They handle the office's official phone lines, answering incoming calls, and making outgoing calls... Show more$12-54
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Litigation
    • Law Firm
    • Legal Research
    • Civil Litigation
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Insurance Defense
    • Family Law
    • Legal Issues
    • Mediation
    • Insurance Coverage
    • Criminal Law
    • Intellectual Property
    • Court Appearances
    • Discovery Motions
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Supervise and manage plaintiff's personal injury practice.
    • Develop litigation strategies including discovery, deposition, arbitration, and jury trial.
    • Draft internal memos, subpoenas and various discovery documents.
    • Direct and determine all aspects of plaintiff litigation and resolution strategy.
    • Review documents for FINRA arbitration concerning poaching of traders between inter-dealer brokers.
    • Respond to investigative subpoenas from U.S. government regulatory agencies requesting production of relevant client and third party material.
    More litigation attorney duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the litigation attorney job description is a good way to get more applicants. A litigation attorney salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a litigation attorney in Kansas may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level litigation attorney. Additionally, a litigation attorney with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average litigation attorney salary

    $109,027yearly

    $52.42 hourly rate

    Entry-level litigation attorney salary
    $69,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 5, 2025

    Average litigation attorney salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$143,745$69
    2New York$109,381$53
    3District of Columbia$107,790$52
    4Nevada$106,634$51
    5Colorado$105,660$51
    6Washington$103,639$50
    7Virginia$103,588$50
    8Arizona$103,195$50
    9Massachusetts$102,835$49
    10Texas$101,172$49
    11Oregon$98,015$47
    12Maryland$91,958$44
    13Florida$91,467$44
    14Rhode Island$91,238$44
    15Minnesota$86,765$42
    16Illinois$85,693$41
    17Georgia$83,934$40
    18Ohio$81,872$39
    19Missouri$79,904$38
    20North Carolina$78,143$38

    Average litigation attorney salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Perkins Coie$200,740$96.5139
    2Sidley Austin$198,119$95.252
    3Latham & Watkins$189,143$90.931
    4Debevoise & Plimpton$184,761$88.831
    5Tully Rinckey PLLC$178,196$85.67
    6DLA Piper$173,533$83.43173
    7Blank Rome$165,650$79.64
    8Brennan Manna Diamond$165,177$79.41
    9Dorsey & Whitney$161,983$77.88
    10Hill Ward Henderson$150,417$72.321
    11Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith$150,318$72.27199
    12Williams Kastner$149,124$71.69
    13O'Connor First$146,947$70.651
    14Bowman and Brooke$144,205$69.3311
    15Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker Llp$140,389$67.497
    16Sullivan & Worcester$140,122$67.37
    17Evans Dixon$139,350$67.003
    18Thompson Coe$135,341$65.071
    19Texas Instruments$135,250$65.027
    20Manion Gaynor & Manning Llp$135,027$64.92
  4. Writing a litigation attorney job description

    A good litigation attorney job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a litigation attorney job description:

    Litigation attorney job description example

    We are currently looking for passionate and entrepreneurial attorneys with 3-6 years of litigation experience to join our headquarters office in Arlington, VA.

    What’s it like to be an IJ attorney?

    Simply put, it’s rewarding. If you are passionate about using your law degree to stop government abuses and champion individual rights, there is no better place to be. Attorneys who join us in a lateral capacity often say that IJ litigates cases that motivated them to go to law school in the first place.

    Within a supportive, team-based culture, attorneys develop their own cases, direct legal strategy, take depositions and present oral argument through every stage of litigation, maintaining ownership of their cases up to and including the U.S. Supreme Court. And we maintain a sense of humor and can-do attitude throughout it all.

    IJ attorneys are also active outside the courtroom, doing media writing and appearances, public speaking, grassroots activism and direct advocacy to policymakers and legislators. (And if you are a regular listener of our popular Short Circuit podcast, you know that IJ attorneys are regular contributors.) No two days are the same, and our new lateral hires jump into the action on day one.

    What does IJ look for when hiring new attorneys?

    • Excellent writing and communication skills;
    • A desire to create real world impact and willingness to push the envelope in strategizing how to win challenging cases;
    • At least 3 years of legal work experience with a minimum of 2 years focused on litigation;
    • A passion for limiting the size and scope of government power to ensure that all Americans have the right to control their own destinies as free and responsible members of society;
    • Judicial clerkship experience (not required, but strongly preferred).

    How can I apply?

    If you’re ready to join our exciting team, please submit a resume, a cover letter, and a writing sample. The writing sample should be approximately 10 pages and it should demonstrate your best legal analysis. Note that later stages of our interview process include an additional writing component. New additions to our team can expect to start in early 2023. If your timing falls outside of that window, please indicate that in your cover letter.

    Can you tell me more about your culture and values?

    Our culture is collaborative, intellectual, and fun.

    We have a shared commitment to our mission and to our individual clients, ordinary people who want to pursue their vision of the American Dream without government interference. Each member of our staff is recognized for the integral part they play in the fulfillment of that mission.

    We value employees who meet the tough legal issues we tackle with sharp legal creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a can-do attitude. Together, we celebrate every win along the way and recover quickly from setbacks.

    Can you tell me more about compensation, benefits, and general perks?

    Compensation is commensurate with experience and exceeds other legal non-profits and government pay scales. IJ also offers superior benefits including medical, dental, vision and life insurance, generous paid leave, and retirement benefits. We also offer flexible work-day schedules, two days each week to work from home, and up to four weeks each year to work from anywhere in the world with WiFi. We’ve recently renovated and expanded our Arlington office, which features a state-of-the art moot courtroom, light filled offices, and a café space (featuring cold brew on tap, an espresso coffee machine, and free snacks and sodas).


    IJ is an equal opportunity employer.

    Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At IJ we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

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  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right litigation attorney for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your litigation attorney job on Zippia to find and recruit litigation attorney candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit litigation attorneys, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new litigation attorney

    Once you've found the litigation attorney candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a litigation attorney?

There are different types of costs for hiring litigation attorneys. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new litigation attorney employee.

The median annual salary for litigation attorneys is $109,027 in the US. However, the cost of litigation attorney hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a litigation attorney for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $33 and $82 an hour.

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