Our Mission

At Wilson Kester, we empower clients to find their voice and reclaim their strength. Our mission is to help clients not just survive, but thrive- through education, skilled legal advocacy, and compassionate support.

We are guided by our core values:
Excellence | Respect | Collaboration | Empowerment | Truth

Our Commitment

We are committed to fostering a supportive, inclusive environment where leaders thrive. We invest in your growth, respect your work-life balance, and empower you to lead with excellence.

Position Overview

The Managing Paralegal is a strategic leadership role responsible for managing, training, and coaching the non-attorney legal team. This position ensures operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement in legal workflows and client service delivery. Reporting directly to the Managing Attorney, this role is essential to maintaining high performance standards, systematizing legal processes, and fostering a collaborative, empowered team culture.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Performance Management

- Supervise and support paralegals and legal assistants to meet or exceed KPIs.

- Conduct regular 1:1 coaching and bi-monthly check-ins to support professional growth.

- Implement performance improvement plans and provide ongoing feedback.

- Maintain a minimum of 4.0 billable hours/day

- Support legal team through case planning, audits, and direct support.

- Consistently assign paralegal tasks and ensure uninterrupted coverage across all circumstances, including during staff turnover, paid time off (PTO), increased attorney caseloads, onboarding of new attorneys, or when multiple employees are needed to support complex cases.

Training & Development

- Lead onboarding, continuing education, and skills training for legal staff.

- Develop and maintain training materials, SOPs, and workflow documentation.

- Ensure compliance with ABA and State Bar of Michigan guidelines for non-lawyer roles.

Quality Assurance & Case Oversight

- Conduct monthly audits of active cases to ensure:

o Proper documentation

o Adherence to naming conventions and workflows

o High-quality client communication and legal work

- Maintain a master client list and coordinate legal team assignments and coverage.

Client Service & Relationship Management

- Support paralegals in managing client communications when attorneys are unavailable.

- Coordinate client-attorney meetings and escalate concerns to the Managing Attorney as needed.

- Collaborate with the Client Engagement Department to optimize new client intake and team assignments.

Operational & Administrative Excellence

- Monitor timekeeping compliance and ensure accurate, contemporaneous time entries.

- Provide backup support for scheduling, filings, and deadline tracking.

- Serve as liaison between clients, courts, and external counsel when legal teams are unavailable.

Process Improvement & Legal Systems Management

- Identify and implement workflow enhancements to improve efficiency and consistency.

- Develop and refine legal templates and documentation standards.

- Ensure 100% compliance with the firm’s litigation systems checklist.

Other Duties

- This position is expected to be flexible in regards to tasks completed, and may assist with other general, legal, or administrative tasks as requested.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

- 95%+ of team members meet or exceed performance standards

- 100% litigation systems compliance

- 95% monthly case audit coverage

- 95% accuracy in billable hour recording

- 34 billable hours per month

- Demonstrated improvements in team performance, retention, and legal process development

Core Competencies

Leadership & Management

- Strategic coaching and accountability

- Team development and performance optimization

- Change management and collaborative leadership

Legal & Compliance Expertise

- Advanced knowledge of family law procedures and documentation

- Familiarity with ABA and State Bar of Michigan guidelines

- Proficiency in legal technology and case management systems

Client Service & Emotional Intelligence

- Compassionate, clear communication with clients and staff

- Crisis management and de-escalation skills

- Coaching staff on client relationship best practices

Analytical & Organizational Skills

- Strong prioritization and time management

- Data-driven decision-making and KPI tracking

- Ability to manage multiple deadlines and projects

Supervisory Responsibilities

- Direct supervision of all paralegals and legal assistants

- Oversight of timekeeping, quality control, and performance

- Regular reporting to the Managing Attorney on team KPIs and development

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

This role operates in a professional office environment. Employees will work indoors using standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

The position is largely sedentary, involving tasks performed while sitting. Some filing activities are required. Specific physical requirements include:

- Close visual acuity for tasks like preparing and analyzing data, transcribing, viewing a computer screen, and extensive reading.

- Ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboards.

- Walking short distances and occasional driving for material delivery.

- Lifting and carrying small parcels and packages.

- Standing, walking, and sitting.

- Stooping, kneeling, bending, and crouching (lifting to 25 pounds).

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

- 10+ years of paralegal litigation experience (or 5+ years with a law degree)

- Proven leadership in legal team management

- Advanced proficiency in legal tech and documentation systems

- Strong organizational, communication, and coaching skills

Preferred Qualifications

- Paralegal certification (NALA or ABA-accredited)

- Advanced family law case management experience

- Experience in boutique legal environments

- Background in professional development and training

Compensation & Benefits

- Competitive salary based on experience and leadership scope

- Comprehensive benefits: health, dental, vision, short-term disability, 401(k)

- Generous PTO, bereavement leave, and professional development time

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $34.00 - $38.00 per hour

Benefits:

401(k)
401(k) matching
Dental insurance
Health insurance
Paid time off
Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Traverse City, MI 49684

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