Legal Associate

First Mutual Holding Company; Lakewood (OH); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

First Mutual Holding Company in Lakewood, OH seeks a Legal Associate to conduct legal research, draft documents, and manage administrative tasks for the bank. The role handles subpoenas, garnishments, and related legal requests, coordinating with attorneys and vendors while ensuring confidentiality.

The position supports collections efforts, data entry, and department reporting, collaborating with line managers and support staff. A paralegal certificate and 3–5 years’ experience are required.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of administrative or legal support experience.
• Paralegal Certificate is required.
• Experience in financial services or banking is preferred.
• Notary Public is preferred.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Outlook, Excel, Word) or similar software is required; EasyLender, Cleartouch, OnBase Nautilus, and related portals are preferred.
• High School Diploma or equivalent is required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research and draft documents for the bank.
• Review legal documents and manage subpoenas, garnishments, and other legal processes.
• Coordinate with attorneys and vendors; maintain confidentiality.
• Lead collections support, track delinquent accounts, and process related activities.
• Provide administrative support across departments and prepare reports.
• Supervise service providers and manage vendor relationships.
• Assist retail and operations departments as needed.
• Perform general clerical duties and file maintenance.
• Plan and coordinate trainings and events.
• Ensure compliance with banking laws and AML statutes.

Skills

Paralegal experience

MS Office proficiency

Notary Public

Banking/financial services experience

3–5 years experience

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

MS Outlook

Excel

Word

EasyLender

Cleartouch

OnBase Nautilus

Job description

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Position Summary:

The Legal Associate will be responsible for conducting legal research, drafting documents, and managing administrative tasks on behalf of the bank.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Review various legal documents (including but not limited to documents related to Subpoenas, Garnishments and Levies, Restraining Orders, Power of Attorney, Guardianship, Operating Agreements, Articles of Incorporation, Corporate Resolutions, Trusts, and Estates). Interprets legal language to determine the applicable scope, jurisdiction, time frames of each legal document. Maintains proper servicing of subpoenas in order to ensure that all due dates are met and only legally requested records are released.
2. Contact attorney and agents to discuss the cost associated with responding to various legal requests. Maintain strict confidentiality as outlined by Federal and State statutes.
3. Conduct research by locating and preparing documents that have been subpoenaed and draft documents for legal response and coordinate the processing of actions such as garnishments, levy's, child support payments and estates.
4. Serve as the main contact for all processes associated with collections efforts. Identification and reporting of delinquent accounts, communication to external clients regarding outstanding accounts receivables, documenting collections activity, research account disputes or billing discrepancies, and performing reconciliations. All processes related to data entry, maintaining case files, accurate and complete input of data into systems, track payments, process invoices, communications, and established metrics to support full billing and collections processes.
5. Provide administrative support through collaboration with line of business managers, supervisors, and other support staff by completing assigned projects and reports; manages department tasks and informs department staff on project updates; prepares and processes documents and reports as assigned by department staff.
6. Manages service providers and vendors effectively; structures relationships with service providers in a strategic manner; sets expectations; develops performance metrics; measures vendor performance, provides feedback and holds accountable.
7. Serve as support for both retail and operations departments.
8. Perform clerical duties associated with the department including opening and screening mail, organizing, and maintaining files, responding to telephone inquiries, and scanning/faxing.
9. As directed, help plan, organize, and coordinate various events (including trainings).
10. Complies with all applicable banking laws and regulations, including, but not limited to the Bank Secrecy Act, USA Patriot Act, and related anti-money laundering statutes, and federal consumer protection legislation and regulations.
11. Other duties as required.

The duties outlined above are a summary and may not be an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties. All job descriptions may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of FMHC.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Requirements

Qualifications and Skills:

1. 3 to 5 years of experience in administrative or legal support is required.
2. Paralegal Certificate is required.
3. Experience in financial services or banking is preferred.
4. Notary Public is preferred.
5. Proficiency in MS Office [Outlook, Excel, Word] or similar software is required. EasyLender, Cleartouch, OnBase Nautilus, various government and investor software/web portals is preferred.
6. High School Diploma or equivalent is required.

Necessary competencies:

1. Resilience
2. Collaboration
3. Communication
4. Service Orientation
5. Quality Focused
6. Organizational Skills
7. Accountability

Physical Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift, walk, stand, sit, bend, reach with hands and arms, climb, push/pull, use hands, and see, hear and speak.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.
• This position is performed in a hybrid office setting, three days a week in the office and two remote, with typical work hours being 8.30a through 5.15p.