Legal Associate

State of Wisconsin; Madison (WI); Hybrid; USD 34,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Health insurance options

Dental, vision, life insurance

Retirement program & 457 plan

Well Wisconsin program

Job summary

State of Wisconsin seeks a Legal Associate in the Worker's Compensation Division to assist with maintaining a fair and impartial adjudication process. The role requires strong organization, communication, and computer skills, with a hybrid remote schedule offering up to three remote days per week.

The position is located in Madison, WI, with potential training in-office as needed. Pay starts at $29.28/hour plus a comprehensive benefits package, including generous PTO, health and retirement

Qualifications

• Administrative support experience (greeting visitors, data entry, filing, etc).
• Communicating with customers to provide information and resolve issues.
• Experience using office software such as Microsoft Office or similar.
• Managing/tracking cases or projects with timelines and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to Administrative Law Judges.
• Manage litigated cases scheduled for hearing or review.
• Maintain a computerized index/database of attorneys representing parties.
• Process, review, and analyze hearing applications and other documents for jurisdiction and issues.
• Schedule hearings.
• Provide information to claimants and insurance carriers regarding hearing applications.

Skills

Administrative support

Customer communication

Office software

Case management

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

We are seeking a Legal Associate to join our team in the Worker's Compensation Division to assist with maintaining a fair and impartial worker's compensation adjudication process. If you have an interest or background in the legal field and have outstanding organization, communication, and computer skills.

The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) offers interesting and meaningful work with an employee-friendly and inclusive work environment, work-life balance, a casual office environment, flexibility, and many opportunities to grow your skills.

This position offers a hybrid remote work schedule, with up to 3 remote days/week. Additional time in the office may be required on occasion for training or other business needs. Our office is located in downtown Madison at 201 E. Washington Ave. near a wide variety of restaurants and food carts, live music and events, the farmer's market, B-cycle rentals, lakefront parks, the Capital City bike path, and multiple bus routes.

This recruitment may be used to fill future similar vacancies (permanent, project or Limited Term).

Position Summary

Responsibilities

• Providing support to the Administrative Law Judges.
• Managing litigated cases being scheduled for hearing or review.
• Maintaining a computerized index and database system of attorneys representing parties.
• Processing, reviewing and analyzing hearing applications and other documents to make preliminary determinations on jurisdiction, issues, parties, etc.
• Scheduling hearings.
• Providing information to claimants and insurance carriers regarding hearing applications.

Salary Information

Starting pay is $29.28 / hour, plus an exemplary benefits package:

• Generous paid time off, including at least 3 1/2 weeks of vacation/personal time, nine paid holidays, and ample sick time that rolls over each year with no cap.
• Excellent and affordable health insurance options (2026 rates start at $45/month for single and $111/month for family coverage).
• Other great insurance options (dental, vision, life, and more).
• A top-notch retirement program and optional tax advantaged 457 retirement savings plan.
• A Well Wisconsin program, offering wellness tools and rewards to employees and spouses.
• A free and confidential employee assistance program that offers employees and their household members tools, resources, and professional consultation services.

Use this Total Rewards Calculator to see an estimate of the total value of our competitive benefits package!

The classification title for this position is Legal Associate (schedule 02, range 13). A 12-month probationary period will be required. This position is not represented in a collective bargaining unit and is considered non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Pay will be set in accordance with the State Compensation Plan in effect at the time of appointment. Starting pay may vary for current state employees.

Job Details

Remote work

This position offers a hybrid remote work schedule. Employees with approved remote and hybrid-remote work arrangements are generally expected to work within the state of Wisconsin. High-speed internet access is required to meet the needs of remote work. Remote work options are subject to change.

Criminal histories

We also consider all qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Finalists for this position may be required to allow DWD to conduct a background check or other checks to determine whether the circumstances of any conviction may be related to the job being filled.

Eligibility to work in United States

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in the United States (i.e. a US citizen or national or a lawful permanent resident) at the time of appointment. DWD does not sponsor visas and is not an eligible OPT employer for those with F1 visas. This is not a contract position. Any appointment made will be contingent on the applicant completing the I-9 upon hire.

Qualifications

The qualifications listed below will be evaluated in the first step of the selection process and should be clearly described in your resume/letter of qualifications.

You Need To Have The Following Experience

• Providing administrative support (e.g. greeting visitors, copying, data entry, scanning, filing, distributing mail, or similar).
• Communicating with customers to provide information, answer questions, and resolve issues.
• Using office software such as Microsoft Office or similar.
• Managing/tracking cases or projects (e.g. timelines/deadlines, documents, approvals, assignments, or similar).

Any of the following experience would be nice to have:

• Supporting electronic file management and workflows.
• Working in a litigated claims environment.
• Interpreting Wisconsin Worker's Compensation laws, rules, policies and procedures.
• Providing administrative support in a legal environment, including reviewing/processing legal documents.

Additional qualifications may be evaluated in subsequent steps of the selection process.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity

DWD values a diverse workforce and is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.

The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability. If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program.

Deadline to Apply

Application materials must be submitted by 11:59 PM (central standard time) on Friday, October 16, 2026.