Pre-Litigation Managing Attorney

About J&Y Law Firm

J&Y Law Firm is a premier personal injury law firm committed to achieving outstanding outcomes for our clients while fostering a dynamic and collaborative workplace culture. Our goal is to deliver high-value results through superior client service, legal excellence, and a supportive team environment.

Please Note: This position is for candidates licensed in California.

ALL APPLICATIONS WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL – APPLY WITH CONFIDENCE.

What we provide:

• A team environment guided by respect and care
• An investment in technology and processes for our team
• A challenging, fast paced, and interesting case load
• A very competitive salary
• Growth opportunity and a collaborative team environment, in addition to a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision options and paid parking.

Position Summary

We are seeking a seasoned and strategic Pre-Litigation Managing Attorney to lead, coach, and inspire our pre-litigation legal team. The ideal candidate will possess extensive personal injury experience, exceptional leadership skills, and the ability to manage high case volumes with efficiency and precision. This role will oversee a team of case managers, demand writers, settlement negotiators, lien negotiators, and support staff managing up to 800 active personal injury cases.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

• Directly supervise all pre-litigation staff, including case managers, demand writers, settlement negotiators, lien negotiators, and VAs/RCs.
• Lead annual performance reviews; manage workloads and performance expectations.
• Conduct regular coaching sessions and feedback meetings; implement structured training through Lunch & Learns and one-on-one development plans.
• Identify and prioritize Serious Injury (SI) cases requiring enhanced attention and strategic oversight.

Time on Desk (TOD) Oversight & Case Movement

• Enforce and model TOD protocols including:
• Daily file reviews
• Routine client meetings to advise on treatment and case trajectory
• Movement of cases to GFRL (Get File Ready for Litigation)
• Oversight of GFRD (Get File Ready for Demand) stage progression
• Ensure timely coordination between case managers, records clerks, demand writers, and negotiators.
• Drive consistent case movement and reduce stagnation across teams.

Client Experience & Communication

• Maintain high client satisfaction by enforcing a communication standard:
• No more than 30 days between client contacts, with a 14-day goal
• Ensure regular status updates and touchpoints
• Personally engage with clients on high-value cases or sensitive matters to improve outcomes and service.

Strategic Oversight & Quality Control

• Review and revise demands in collaboration with demand writers for maximum clarity and impact.

• Work with settlement negotiators on strategic approaches to maximize Average Matter Value (AMV).

• Ensure thorough preparation and negotiation strategies before submitting demands.

• Oversee lien resolution strategy in collaboration with lien negotiators.

Operational Management & Metrics Tracking

• Track and report weekly settlements and productivity by individual and team.
• Monitor KPIs across all roles reporting to the Pre-Litigation Managing Attorney.
• Create and maintain scorecards for staff performance evaluation.
• Ensure alignment with firm goals and budget.
• Coordinate seamless handoffs to the litigation team, maintaining communication and case integrity.

Compliance & Ethics

• Uphold best practices in documentation, client communication, and compliance with legal standards.
• Promote ethical and professional conduct across all case handling and interactions.

Oversight of Government Claims (Tort Claims Act / Public Entity Matters)

• Ensure team compliance with statutory deadlines, including:

• Filing claims within the 6-month window.

• Monitoring response timelines from public entities.
• Initiating litigation within the proper timeframe following rejection or deemed rejection.
• Review and approve all government claim submissions for accuracy, sufficiency, and supporting documentation.
• Train and guide pre-litigation staff on spotting government entity involvement, navigating immunity issues, and understanding procedural nuances.

• Maintain a centralized tracking system to monitor the status of all open government claims, ensuring no deadlines are missed.

• Collaborate with records clerks and case managers to obtain necessary documentation (e.g., incident reports, medical records, correspondence from agencies).

• Escalate high-risk or complex claims to the Litigation Department when appropriate for early transition planning.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school; active California Bar license required
• Minimum 8 years of personal injury experience, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or leadership role
• Proven ability to manage large caseloads and deliver high-value settlements
• Demonstrated expertise in negotiation, case strategy, and client management
• Strong familiarity with Litify or similar legal CRM platforms
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Bilingual preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive compensation package
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and firm holidays
• Continuing legal education and career development support