This INTERNAL-ONLY posting is open to current MSF employees and is scheduled to close on November 15, 2026. Apply today!
About the Job:
The Paralegal Trainee is a training position established to provide structured learning and practical experience in legal support functions under direction, instruction, and mentorship. This role supports daily legal operations by organizing case files, coordinating schedules and depositions, conducting legal and factual research, preparing legal documents and correspondence, and assisting with mediation and litigation activities.
Through on-the-job training, guided assignments, and progressive responsibility, the position develops the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of a Paralegal I while contributing to departmental effectiveness through proactive coordination, accurate execution, and strong partnership across teams.
Key Responsibilities:
- Trial and litigation support: Provides litigation and administrative support to attorneys while learning legal processes, litigation procedures, and case management practices. Assists with trial preparation activities including coordinating depositions, managing travel arrangements, organizing litigation files, drafting pleadings and other documents from approved templates, supporting discovery activities, conducting legal and factual research, and coordinating document and witness exchanges. Successfully develops and demonstrates proficiency in legal department workflows, file management, and litigation support practices.
- Mediation coordination: Learns and applies mediation and hearing coordination processes by processing notices, managing related correspondence, reviewing files to identify relevant issues and documents, and supporting attorneys, claims teams, and internal stakeholders throughout the mediation process.
- Administrative Operations: Assists with gathering documentation for legal and administrative submissions, interacting with external vendors, processing invoices for payment approval, maintaining litigation and mediation files, and supporting document and case tracking systems. Successfully develops and demonstrates knowledge of records management, departmental processes, and legal operational procedures.
- Additional professional support: Participates in enterprise and department meetings, training opportunities, and special research projects. Partners with colleagues across departments to support shared administrative priorities and special initiatives while developing a broad understanding of Montana State Fund operations and legal services. Identifies opportunities to improve legal operational workflows as knowledge and experience increase.
- General paralegal support: Learns approach and process to ensure documents are properly formatted, mailed, served, and filed on site.
Required Skills
About You:
At Montana State Fund, how we do our jobs matters to us as much as what we do. To support our customer-centered workplace, successful candidates are team players who possess:
- Customer and growth mindset
- Empathy
- Accountability
- Adaptability
- Resiliency
Required Experience
Minimum Qualifications:
- Relevant Bachelor’s degree; OR
- Relevant Associate’s degree and two (2) years of paralegal experience.
Preferred
- Experience in a fast-paced, dynamic environment: Ability to thrive and adapt in an evolving organizational landscape.
An equivalent combination of education and experience of the above requirements may be considered.
Job location:
This position requires on-site presence in the Helena, MT office.
Working conditions:
Fast paced general office environment. Some stress may occur. Regular travel not expected but may occur occasionally around organizational specific events or during the course of employment. Requires sitting for extended periods of time, standing, visual acumen, manual dexterity, detailed verbal communications and fine finger manipulation for working with computer keyboards. Occasional travel may be required.
Compensation and Benefits:
Starting salary for this non-exempt position begins at $51,500 - $64,300 per year ($24.76 - $30.91 per hour)
Montana State Fund offers excellent benefits, paid time off, and a competitive compensation program, including:
- Comprehensive health insurance with dental, vision, life, long-term disability and more, with optional dependent coverage.
- Flexible spending accounts for dependent care and medical expenses.
- Public employees’ retirement plan tax-deferred contributions with a generous employer match.
- Optional 457(b) deferred compensation to further increase retirement savings.
- Higher education reimbursement and other training and development programs.
- Robust personal leave, paid holidays, and extended leave.
Learn more about working at MSF: click here
Are you interested in this opportunity? Apply today!