Paralegal Trainee

MSF; Helena (MT); On-site; USD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Educational reimbursement

Job summary

Montana State Fund in Helena, MT is seeking a Paralegal Trainee to learn and support daily legal operations under mentorship. The position involves organizing case files, coordinating depositions, researching, drafting documents from templates, and assisting with mediation and litigation activities.

This on-site role emphasizes collaboration across teams, with minimum qualifications of an associate’s degree and two years paralegal experience.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree and two years of paralegal experience required.
• Experience in a fast-paced environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Trial and litigation support across cases, including deposition coordination and document drafting.
• Mediation coordination through notices, correspondence, and file reviews.
• Administrative operations such as invoicing, records management, and file maintenance.
• Support across departments on meetings, initiatives, and special projects.

Skills

Customer mindset

Empathy

Accountability

Resiliency

Education

Associate’s degree

Job description

This INTERNAL-ONLY posting is open to current MSF employees and is scheduled to close on November 15, 2026.

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
• Resiliency

Required Experience

Minimum Qualifications:

• 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 thisnon-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.