Senior Associate Attorney

At GMKE, we know that great talent is the key to achieving the best outcomes for our clients and customers. For the last 18 years, our talented attorneys have built a distinguished reputation as unyielding advocates to insureds facing litigation and trusted partners to insurance companies seeking to responsibly manage liabilities.

We’ve done this by putting our mission at the center of everything we do, living our values, and taking a real approach to every case – resulting in consistently excellent outcomes in the courtroom.

Who We Are

Groth, Makarenko, Kaiser & Eidex is a premier civil defense firm in the Southeast building the future of insurance defense to ensure the best outcome for every carrier and every insured, in every case.

Our values – sincerely diligent, honorably competitive, accountability, client service, and united in collaboration – shape the way we approach each case and every relationship, acting as our guiding light in all that we do. GMKE is more than just a firm; it’s a community of diverse, growth-minded people, each drawn to our dynamic environment and mission, as we expand our reach throughout the Southeast.

Your Future At GMKE

At GMKE, we're dedicated to building careers that are as fulfilling as they are impactful. Discover what you’ll find at a firm with a progressive approach to fostering truly rewarding professional experiences.

• Growth: With an ambitious mission, inertia is impossible—you’ll never be left behind as the firm moves forward. Whether you’re new to this area of law or a seasoned veteran, you’ll have ongoing opportunities to take on new tasks, responsibilities, and roles.
• Mentorship & Support: Our partners' doors have been open since day one, and that’s still true today. Our partners, most experienced attorneys, and talented staff members genuinely enjoy sharing their knowledge and shaping the next generation of legal professionals.
• Keeping Work & Life Balanced: With PTO policies designed for your unique position, a variety of paid holidays, one work-from-home day each week, abbreviated workweeks, and realistic, achievable goals, work and life can harmonize seamlessly.
• Empowerment: At GMKE, everyone has true ownership over their work and the freedom to approach it in a way that makes sense to them. Diving right into your role isn’t just encouraged—it’s essential. That means you'll be on an accelerated growth path from Day 1.
• Journey of Learning: We continue to increase our investment in training, education, and resources to support your growth. We believe that learning is a lifelong journey, and we’re committed to providing the tools you need to thrive at every stage of your career.
• Culture & Community: Friendliness, reciprocity, appreciation, great relationships, and good times are pillars of our culture. Joining us means joining a true community, where interactions are always warm and collaboration is encouraged. You're invited to regular events designed for fun and fellowship with your colleagues.

About The Role

As a Senior Associate Attorney at GMKE, you'll be a key leader within your partner team, providing essential oversight, guidance, and support to a team of associates. In this role, you'll be the backbone of your team, both leading and developing your associates as you delegate and ensure the quality of their work. Your high-impact contributions to our rapidly growing firm will be highly visible, with significant influence on GMKE’s growth and achievement of our vision as you help make key talent decisions, uphold our values, embody our culture, and drive positive outcomes for customers and clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of associate attorneys with varying levels of experience, setting clear expectations and managing performance
• Oversee onboarding and training for new attorneys, ensuring alignment with firm standards and best practices
• Balance caseloads, make case assignments, and remove obstacles to help your team succeed
• Conduct regular file reviews, monthly random case audits, and reassignments to ensure quality and compliance
• Review all pre-bills for your partner team to ensure accuracy, clarity, and timeliness before submission
• Serve as the first point of contact for team questions, providing litigation guidance and procedural support
• Uphold GMKE’s culture and values in all leadership actions and serve as a role model to attorneys and staff
• Manage personnel issues, including coaching, performance improvement, and—when necessary—disciplinary action and terminations
• Participate in hiring, promotion, and termination decisions in collaboration with HR and firm leadership
• Help navigate interpersonal challenges and team dynamics to build a respectful, collaborative environment
• Manage your own caseload from start to finish, including discovery, depositions, settlement negotiations, and trial
• Deliver expert-level legal representation to insurance carriers and their insureds in civil defense matters
• Participate in meetings and regular strategic discussions with firm leadership

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of insurance defense or similar litigation experience
• Strong litigation skills with comfort managing a full caseload from inception through trial
• Ability to guide and mentor junior attorneys; prior formal leadership is a plus but not required
• Able to address issues in real time, provide direction in moments of ambiguity, and coach constructively
• Comfortable giving performance feedback and participating in key personnel decisions
• Naturally values-driven, with a willingness to uphold and model firm values and standards
• Detail-oriented and highly organized, with strong time management and communication skills
• Proficient in legal research tools, case management systems, and Microsoft Office

Diversity At GMKE

GMKE is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees, fully complying with state, federal, and local laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that reflects the diversity of the communities and clients we serve, recognizing that varied perspectives and experiences enhance both our workplace and our approach to client needs.