Legal Aid of Western Michigan - Legal Assistant - Muskegon

Legal Aid of Western Michigan (LAWM) is seeking a driven and motivated Legal Assistant to join our team of passionate, mission-driven individuals at our Muskegon office!

We are a non-profit law firm that proudly delivers free legal assistance to communities up and down the West Michigan lakeshore. Our civil legal work involves eviction defense and preventing homelessness, securing independence and safety for survivors of domestic abuse, ensuring that people have the basic income they need to meet the necessities of life, and more.

At LAWM, our core mission is to protect rights, challenge injustice, and fight poverty through free legal advocacy for people and families. Supporting and collaborating with our team as they work diligently to uphold our mission is vital work, and we’re on the hunt for a new Legal Assistant who will play an essential role in that support.

Under the supervision of the Managing Attorney of the Muskegon office, the Legal Assistant is primarily responsible for assisting LAWM attorneys, supporting clients, and performing general clerical work. They assist with preparing pleadings, interviewing clients, organizing files for litigation and grant compliance, and client database management.

If this all sounds like a good fit for you, we’d love for you to apply!! Please send your resume and (optional) cover letter to our HR Team at Careers@lawestmi.org. And if you need any accommodations throughout the application or hiring process, definitely let us know!

The starting salary for the Legal Assistant position is $38,000, depending on experience. We offer an additional $2,600 annual stipend for an individual who is bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish.

LAWM IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. We believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion as core principles driving our staff recruitment and our mission.

Here’s a sampling of what the Legal Assistant will be responsible for:

• Preparing legal documents and correspondence
• Other clerical and data management tasks
• Organizing and maintaining physical and electronic files
• Screening applicants for services for eligibility and case priority
• Written and verbal communication with clients and others
• Assisting with scheduling, mailing, court filing, and errands as needed
• Adhering to LAWM program priorities and case handling policies/procedures, as well as the highest professional and ethical standards
• Performing other duties as assigned
  
  

The ideal Legal Assistant will have the following Education & Experience:

• Associate's degree or paralegal certification
• At least 1 year of experience in a legal services role
• Basic computer skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office programs
  
  

We need our Legal Assistant to possess these Skills & Knowledge:

• Empathy, compassion, and kindness
• Highly detail-oriented
• Self-motivated, takes initiative, and is able to prioritize workload
• Ability to articulate information and concepts calmly and clearly
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Basic computer skills, proficiency with Microsoft office programs
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing deadlines and a variety of tasks
• Demonstrated skill with socio-economic and cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to providing access to justice for underserved individuals
  
  

And last, but definitely not least... BENEFITS!

We are committed to promoting a healthy work/like balance, and our staff enjoy:

• A 35-hour work week (Monday – Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm, with a one-hour lunch break)
• Generous Annual Leave and Sick Leave
• Thirteen Paid Holidays per year
• HMO and HSA Health Insurance options, with an employer contribution to premiums, as well as a payout option for staff who opt out of health insurance coverage
• Employer-Paid Dental and Vision Insurances
• Employer-Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurances
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Annual employer contributions to 403b accounts for eligible employees
• Being part of a team that is making a positive impact on their communities
• In addition, our organization is a qualifying employer for most loan forgiveness programs
  
  

Oh, and HR said we had to include this section about the Workplace & Environment:

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a LAWM teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, and keyboard.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work.
• Light to moderate lifting may be required.
• Ability to transport oneself and be physically present for offsite activities that require in-person attendance required.
  
  

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a LAWM teammate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Moderate noise (i.e., business office with computers, phone, and printers, light foot traffic and conversation)
• Work performed in a defined area, such as an office, cubicle, or approved remote workstation
• Exposure to dust and fluctuation in inside temperatures
  
  

Made it all the way to the end? Way to go! We appreciate your sticktoitiveness and think you should definitely apply! Please send your resume and (optional) cover letter to our HR Team at Careers@lawestmi.org.

Thanks!

Date Posted

03/21/2025