Senior Associate - Education Law

Job Overview

A law firm seeks a Senior Associate in Irvine, CA, to join their Education Law Practice Group. The role involves providing advice and counsel to public and private K-12 schools, community college districts, and related entities. The ideal candidate will have experience advising public entities on governance, labor, and employment issues, and conducting investigations involving alleged discrimination, harassment, or other misconduct.

Duties

• Advise district/school administrators on personnel management, including employee discipline, dismissal, and release.
• Guide clients in responding to California Public Records Act requests and complying with the Brown Act.
• Represent local educational agencies in administrative hearings.
• Counsel management on employee leaves of absence and disability accommodations.
• Assist Title IX and Uniform Complaint Officers with administering the complaint process.
• Investigate and/or serve as a decision-maker in Title IX cases and other matters.
• Provide trainings for clients and participate in conferences and marketing opportunities.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Admission to the State Bar of California and in good standing.
• 4+ years of labor and/or employment law experience, preferably for educational or public entities.
• Strong legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
• Litigation and/or administrative hearing experience is a plus.
• Investigations and Title IX experience is a plus.
• Ability to build and maintain effective client relationships.
• Proven experience managing multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Education

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.

Certifications

• Admission to the State Bar of California and in good standing.

Skills

• Strong legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
• Ability to build and maintain effective client relationships.
• Proven experience managing multiple tasks and deadlines.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) matching.
• Firm profit-sharing contribution.

This California firm was founded in 1979 and focuses on employment, labor, construction, education, real estate, general business and business litigation, corporate, taxation, bankruptcy, and immigration. Committed to high-quality legal work, the highly experienced lawyers have won many cases on behalf of clients. The firm has received numerous awards and accolades for professional accomplishments and contributions to communities. The diverse team of attorneys has business and education backgrounds allowing for the combination of practical, useful advice with innovative legal strategies. Believing in diversity, the firm is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. The attorneys actively support education and other non-profit organizations. The firm is committed to collegiality, teamwork, and openness with each other and with clients. The firm also provides numerous in-house training sessions and workshops on current legal matters.