Senior Trial Attorney, Michigan (Remote)

At Allstate, great things happen when our people work together to protect families and their belongings from life’s uncertainties. And for more than 90 years our innovative drive has kept us a step ahead of our customers’ evolving needs. From advocating for seat belts, air bags and graduated driving laws, to being an industry leader in pricing sophistication, telematics, and, more recently, device and identity protection. 

Job Description

Represents insured and the Company in the defense of bodily injury and property damage lawsuits, and Allstate Financial cases. Prepares for and attends hearings, trials, arbitrations, mediations, depositions and any other appearance that required attorney attendance. Prepares and argues pre and post-trial motions. Assists colleagues in the resolution of calendar conflicts.  Provides counsel to business clients on day to day issues.  Provides project management, coordination, and collaboration between legal teams. Monitors and reviews new laws, regulations, and case law; identifies and summarizes relevant issues; collaborates with other areas of Law and Regulation department; proactively provides advice and counsel to business unit on the impact of new laws on business.

Key Responsibilities:

•  Review new file assignments and approve initial pleadings, propound discovery, and/or develop strategy
•  Contacts clients to discuss their case and answer any questions. Maintains contact at a minimum of 90 days.
•  Contacts claims (initial litigation plan, recurring minimum 90 day contact, strategy conferences, etc.)
•  Review all documentary evidence
•  Prepares witnesses and clients  for depositions, arbitrations, mediations and trials including expert witnesses 
• Conducts depositions and examinations under oath and prepares summary documents 
•  Prepares and attends court appearances (matter management conferences, hearings, status conferences, etc.)
•  Attends settlement/dispositive proceedings (e.g. mediations, arbitrations, etc.)
•  Try and/or arbitrate cases and prepares motions in liminie and summary documents
•  Drafts pre and post-trial motions
•  Manages projects
• Ability to travel within the western Michigan area, as well as the Metro Detroit area

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This job does not have supervisory duties.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities/Experience:

• Juris Doctorate degree and member in good standing of Michigan State Bar
• One to seven years experience: Insurance Defense, and/or Personal Injury litigation experience is a plus
• Trial and/or Arbitration experience is preferred, with flexibility to work across several disciplines that may include, PIP, UM/UIM, Slip & Fall, and Dog Bites
• No Fault and/or SIU experience is a plus.
• Computer skills required; experience with Microsoft Office, Lexis, Excel, Electronic Document Management and the internet
• Ability to work well with others on a team of attorneys, paralegals, administrative assistants, supervised by an attorney Lead Counsel
• Must be able to handle a large caseload
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills are key to working with a variety of internal and external contacts as well as for preparing reports, pleadings, and correspondence, collaborating with others, etc. Will work independently as well as part of a cohesive team.
• Ability to travel
• Periodically lifting in excess of 20 pounds throughout the day, depending on court matters being handled. Attorneys are required to cover court matters for each other; attorneys have laptops.
• Bending to pick up the computer bag which sometimes is more than 20 pounds, entering and exiting a vehicle, maneuvering files and computer at security checkpoints
• Turning and twisting at work
• Periodically driving 40-50 miles if the Court does not allow Zoom/MS Teams Conferences depending on the activities being covered, court, doctors’ depositions, discovery depositions, and case evaluations, etc.
• Sitting for pro-longed periods of time in route to court, in court or at court proceedings, Zoom/MS Teams or in person depositions, etc.
•  Walking and rolling brief case with files from vehicle to the legal proceeding and/or deposition and facilitations, etc.
• Trial preparation could require lifting in excess 20 lbs. because of exhibits, materials, records from plaintiff, etc.  These materials are printed for some proceedings.

Regular, predictable attendance is an essential function of this job.

Notes:

The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities. May be required to perform other related duties as assigned.