A career—for life.
Whether you’re looking for your first job in law or making a mid-career move, the culture of a firm is a huge consideration. At Coblentz, we encourage individuality, value collegiality, and genuinely appreciate a good sense of humor.
Coblentz is an independent mid-size law firm with deep roots—more than 125 years in the Bay Area—and an innovative approach to the law and how we practice it. People come to Coblentz because of our record of performance and service; people stay at Coblentz because they love working here.
Talent, ability, and old-fashioned hard work drive our firm’s success, and we believe our size helps seal the deal. We’re small enough to maintain a close connection with our clients and provide the responsiveness they expect, and we’re also large enough and experienced enough to handle the toughest cases and tackle the most complex issues.
When you come to Coblentz, you’ll be working alongside a committed team of gifted lawyers in a creative work environment. Because of our size, you’ll get early hands-on client contact and challenging and exciting work from your first day at Coblentz.
Our firm has a long and robust history of pro bono service and community involvement, and it’s a vital part of our culture. As an attorney at Coblentz, you’ll get the opportunity to work on pro bono matters that are directly relevant to your practice and make a real difference.
Ideal candidates have outstanding academic credentials, comparable law firm experience, exceptional writing and research skills, an enthusiasm for their area of the law, and a commitment to delivering high quality work product in a highly collaborative environment. Successful candidates will also possess strong problem solving and interpersonal skills.
We look for the following competencies in all our associate candidates:
- Knowledge of unconscious bias and a track record of impartiality as a lawyer, colleague, and supervisor
- Strong interpersonal communication skills
- Strong collaboration and relationship building skills
Please see below for our current open roles.
To apply, submit your resume, cover letter, and law school transcript to AttorneyRecruiting@coblentzlaw.com.
Search firms should submit attorney candidates for consideration by emailing AttorneyRecruiting@coblentzlaw.com with candidate materials. Outreach to partners will not be considered a formal submission.
Candidates must be active members of the California Bar and must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship. The Firm is not able to sponsor employment visas for these positions.
Real Estate Associate
We are seeking attorneys with 3-7 years of broad real estate transactions experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Assisting with commercial leasing matters, including office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use leases, representing both landlords and tenants
- Assisting with acquisitions and dispositions of commercial real estate assets
- Conducting and managing real estate transaction due diligence, including review and analysis of title, survey, zoning, environmental, and organizational documents
- Supporting real estate financing transactions, including reviewing and drafting loan documents and ancillary agreements
- Supporting development transactions, including coordinating real estate contract aspects of development deals
- Drafting, revising, and negotiating real estate transaction documents such as purchase and sale agreements, leases, licenses, easements, loan documents, and closing deliverables
- Preparing closing checklists and coordinating closings with clients, lenders, title companies, and opposing counsel
- Assisting with issue spotting and legal analysis related to deal structure, risk allocation, and transaction strategy
Compensation and Benefits
Associates are paid an annual salary based on the individual’s Class Year. Class Year is determined by the individual’s years of experience since graduating from law school as well as years of experience in a related field of work. The Firm’s current pay range for associates who have between three to seven years of experience is $235,000 to $315,000.
Real Estate Senior Associate/Counsel
We are seeking attorneys with at least 8 years of broad real estate transactions experience, including acquisition, disposition, financing, leasing, joint ventures, and development of retail, office, and mixed use properties.
Key Responsibilities
- Structure, draft, and negotiate a wide range of real estate transactional documents, including:
- purchase and sale agreements
- commercial leases
- joint venture agreements
- loan agreements and related finance documents
- Manage all aspects of real estate transactions from inception to closing.
- Oversee and analyze title, survey, zoning, and other due diligence items.
- Advise developers, investors, owners, and lenders on strategy, risk assessment, and deal execution.
- Coordinate with clients, opposing counsel, consultants, and internal teams to facilitate efficient, well-managed transactions.
- Ensure compliance with applicable real estate, land use, and financing regulations.
Compensation and Benefits
Expected base salary range for this position: $325,000 – $345,000
Actual compensation within this range will be determined based on qualifications, including depth of relevant experience, specialized/advanced degrees, and directly applicable pre-law professional experience.
Land Use Associate
We are seeking associates with 6+ years of experience in land use law to join our Real Estate practice group. We will consider counsel-level attorneys as well.
Qualifications
- At least 6 years of experience in land use law at a comparable law firm or government agency.
- Understanding of California state land use laws, zoning regulations, municipal codes, planning & permitting, entitlements, etc.
- Experience advising on compliance with local, state, and federal land use regulations and environmental laws.
- Responsibilities may include conducting land use due diligence, reviewing documents relating to environmental review under CEQA, advising on strategies for processing entitlements, etc.
- An interest or experience with land use/CEQA litigation is a plus.
- Must be an active member of the California State Bar.
Compensation and Benefits
Associates are paid an annual salary based on the individual’s Class Year. Class Year is determined by the individual’s years of experience since graduating from law school as well as years of experience in a related field of work. The Firm’s current pay range for associates who have between six to eight years of experience is $300,000 to 325,000.
Labor & Employment Associate
We are seeking associates with at least 3-5 years of L&E experience to join our Labor & Employment practice group.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide employment counseling and compliance guidance.
- Handle employment litigation matters, including single-plaintiff, complex, and class action cases.
- Conduct sensitive internal investigations and deliver objective factual findings to inform employer decision-making.
- Advise clients on high-risk employment matters such as terminations, reductions in force, leave and accommodation issues, EEOC/DFEH inquiries, and HR investigations.
- Support clients through traditional labor issues, workforce management strategies, and day-to-day HR and employee-relations questions.
Qualifications
- Minimum of 3-5 years of labor & employment experience, including both counseling and litigation. We will consider more senior candidates on a case-by-case basis.
- A strong background in employment law compliance, with particular interest in government-facing compliance matters.
- Experience with internal investigations, wage/hour counseling, and traditional labor matters is highly valued.
- Active member in good standing of the California State Bar.
- Must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship. The Firm is not able to sponsor employment visas for this position.
Associates are paid an annual salary based on the individual’s Class Year. Class Year is determined by the individual’s years of experience since graduating from law school as well as years of experience in a related field of work. The Firm’s current pay range for associates who have between three and five years of experience is $235,000 to $275,000.
Data Privacy Attorney
We are seeking an associate to join our Data Privacy and Cybersecurity practice. We advise clients across industries – including technology, financial services, hospitality, food and beverage, and creative services – on the rapidly evolving landscape of data protection, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies such as AI.
This is an opportunity for an experienced attorney to play a key role in counseling clients on compliance, supporting corporate transactions, handling data breach response, and managing privacy-related disputes.
Key Responsibilities
- Counsel clients on compliance with CCPA/CPRA, GDPR, HIPAA, GLBA, CIPA and other state and federal privacy laws; draft and implement privacy and data protection policies.
- Counsel clients on emerging AI laws and regulations; advise clients on best practices for internal AI policies, AI contract language, and use of AI tools and platforms.
- Advise on privacy and cybersecurity issues in corporate transactions, including due diligence, contract drafting, and vendor agreements.
- Lead data breach response efforts, including regulatory notifications, investigations, and remediation strategies.
- Represent clients in privacy-related litigation, regulatory enforcement actions, and investigations.
- Monitor evolving privacy and AI regulations, provide practical guidance, and contribute to thought leadership.
- Mentor junior attorneys and collaborate across practice groups to support the growth of the practice.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have outstanding academic credentials, comparable law firm experience, exceptional writing and research skills, an enthusiasm for technology, and a commitment to delivering high quality work product in a highly collaborative environment. Successful candidates will also possess strong problem solving and interpersonal skills.
- At least 6+ years of experience, with a focus on data privacy, cybersecurity, and related areas.
- Expertise in CCPA/CPRA, GDPR, HIPPA, CIPA, and other state and federal privacy laws
- Familiarity with emerging AI laws and regulatory standards.
- Strong legal writing, drafting, and negotiation skills.
- Excellent communication and practical counseling skills with both legal and technical stakeholders.
- Ideal candidate will also have experience in litigation and/or regulatory enforcement matters relating to data privacy/cybersecurity.
- Active member in good standing of the California State Bar.
- Must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship. The Firm is not able to sponsor employment visas for this position.
Compensation and Benefits
Associates are paid an annual salary based on the individual’s Class Year. Class Year is determined by the individual’s years of experience since graduating from law school as well as years of experience in a related field of work. The Firm’s current pay range for associates who have between six to eight years of experience is $300,000 to $325,000.
We offer a hybrid work schedule, annual discretionary and hours-based bonuses, and competitive benefits, including health, retirement, family care, and mental health benefit programs.
Even when we are not actively recruiting for a particular role or practice group, we are always interested in hearing from people who share our ideals and our passion for the law. If you’re an attorney with strong academic credentials, demonstrated writing abilities (law review, journal, or judicial clerkship), an entrepreneurial spirit, a commitment to community service, and great interpersonal skills, we’d like to be in touch. Please submit your resume and cover letter to AttorneyRecruiting@coblentzlaw.com.
California Employee and Applicant Privacy Notice
Our staff is an important part of the Coblentz culture, and we offer an environment that values both hard work and a supportive, collaborative approach in order to provide the highest quality service to our clients. We also value stability, predictable growth, mentorship, and promotion from within.
We invite you to consider becoming part of a team committed to excellence and hard work while pursuing the personal and professional commitments that create a healthy and productive workplace.