Michigan Association for Justice

What Michigan Association for Justice does

The Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit professional membership association founded in 1945 by Sam Charfoos to represent plaintiff trial lawyers in Michigan. The organization is the largest trial lawyer association in the state, with an approximate membership of 1,300–1,500 attorneys and a staff of roughly 12 employees based in Lansing, MI, with a secondary office in Dexter serving Southeast Michigan.

MAJ delivers its core services through continuing legal education programming delivered on the SeminarWeb online platform (with tiered pricing of $79–$99 self-paced and $99 for member webinars versus $129 for non-members) and through in-person events such as the Michigan Civil Justice Seminar. In 2026–2027 the organization is launching the Leadership Academy, a structured professional development program with $500 per-participant tuition. Member benefits also include access to caucuses, mentorship, amicus brief support through the amicus committee, and participation in the Justice PAC for legislative advocacy.

The revenue model combines individual membership dues, CLE program fees, Leadership Academy tuition, tiered corporate sponsorships (Double Diamond, Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver) from legal technology and service vendors such as Filevine, Supio, Tavrn, and TrialSmith, Justice PAC contributions, and amicus committee donations. The association is positioned as the birthplace of the modern plaintiff trial bar in Michigan, with an 80-year operating history that supports brand credibility in legislative and appellate advocacy.

Name

Michigan Association for Justice

Legal name

Michigan Association for Justice

Website

https://michiganjustice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Michigan Association for Justice is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership association founded in 1945 that represents approximately 1,500 plaintiff trial lawyers in Michigan through advocacy, CLE programming, the Leadership Academy, and tiered corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Professional Association Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Justice Reform & Legal System Advocacy (BPAGAFAI)

Keywords

• Trial lawyer association
• Legal membership association
• Continuing legal education
• Plaintiff bar advocacy
• Legal professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Primary revenue stream from trial lawyer membership fees providing access to benefits, CLE, advocacy, and networking
2. CLE Programs and Seminars: Revenue from live webinars ($99-$129) and self-paced online courses ($79-$99) for continuing legal education credits
3. Leadership Academy Tuition: $500 tuition for 7-session leadership program with scholarships and payment plans available
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Tiered partnership levels (Double Diamond, Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver) providing corporate visibility to membership
5. Justice PAC Contributions: Political action committee fundraising supporting legislative advocacy at Michigan State Capitol
6. Amicus Committee Donations: Contributions to fund amicus brief writing, case tracking, and appellate advice services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Michigan Association for Justice is a non-profit membership association that delivers continuing legal education (via SeminarWeb), professional development programming (MAJ Leadership Academy), peer networking (List Server, caucuses), appellate/amicus brief support, mentorship, and legislative advocacy (Justice PAC) to over 1,300 plaintiff trial lawyers across Michigan. It also runs public-facing civic education programs including People's Law School and the Lids for Kids helmet safety campaign.

Product overview

The Michigan Association for Justice operates as a membership-based professional association for trial lawyers rather than a software product company. Its primary service offerings center on continuing legal education (via SeminarWeb), professional development programs (MAJ Leadership Academy), member networking tools (List Server, committees), advocacy (Justice PAC, legislative lobbying), and public education initiatives (People's Law School, Lids for Kids). The organization also provides practice support services including amicus brief assistance, a Master Mentor Program, litigation resources through a TrialSmith partnership, and a DME Database for medical examination records.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Programs Live webinars ($99 members / $129 non-members) and self-paced online courses ($79 members / $99 non-members) delivered through the SeminarWeb platform, providing accredited CLE credits across 22-29 state authorities for plaintiff trial lawyers in Michigan.
• MAJ Leadership Academy An intensive seven-session leadership development program for early-career trial lawyers covering MAJ benefits, trial skills, legislative lobbying, and networking, priced at $500 tuition with scholarships and payment plans available.
• MAJ Membership Annual membership providing plaintiff trial lawyers in Michigan with access to CLE programs, List Server, amicus support, Master Mentor Program, publications, networking caucuses, and Justice PAC advocacy benefits.
• Amicus Brief Support Member access to Michigan's brightest appellate lawyers for assistance with amicus brief preparation, case tracking, and appellate advice, funded by Amicus Committee donations.
• Justice PAC The organization's political action committee representing trial lawyers' interests at the Michigan State Capitol through legislative advocacy, endorsements, and PAC contributions.
• MAJ Annual Convention The organization's premier annual event featuring seminars, networking, and the Champion of Justice Award banquet for members and partners.
• MAJ List Server Email-based discussion network connecting Michigan's trial lawyers for peer consultation, knowledge sharing, and case strategy input, accessible through browse, search, and post message functions.
• Master Mentor Program Mentorship matching program connecting newer attorneys with experienced trial lawyers for guidance, professional development, and trial skills training.
• DME (Independent Medical Examination) Database Member-access database providing access to defense medical examination records and expert information for plaintiff trial preparation.
• People's Law School A 47-year public education program teaching Michigan citizens about the legal system and their civil justice rights.
• Lids for Kids A helmet safety campaign that has fitted more than 10,000 children with bike safety helmets, earning recognition from the Governor, Legislature, mayors, and the public safety community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ children fitted with bike safety helmets through Lids for Kids program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Consensus SettlementsminorOthersDouble Diamond Partner level. Litigation funding/settlement services partner providing visibility to MAJ membership.
• Even UpminorOthersDiamond Partner level. Legal services/technology partner.
• Preferred Capital FundingminorOthersDiamond Partner level. Litigation funding partner.
• Western Alliance BancorporationminorOthersDiamond Partner level. Banking/financial services partner.
• CW SettlementsminorOthersPlatinum Partner level. Settlement services partner.
• Esquire BankminorOthersPlatinum Partner level. Banking services for legal professionals.
• DAngelo VisualsminorOthersGold Partner level. Visual presentations/graphics partner for trial presentations.
• PhysicianLCPminorOthersGold Partner level. Medical expert/LCP services partner.
• Team RehabminorOthersGold Partner level. Rehabilitation services partner for personal injury cases.
• Ascendant HealthminorOthersSilver Partner level. Health services partner.
• Beacon RehabminorOthersSilver Partner level. Rehabilitation services partner.
• Codes HealthminorOthersSilver Partner level. Health services partner.
• Liss FirmminorOthersSilver Partner level. Law firm partner.
• Rosenfeld AgencyminorOthersSilver Partner level. Insurance/risk services partner.
• Vocational EconomicsminorOthersSilver Partner level. Vocational expert/economics services.
• YoCiergeminorOthersSilver Partner level. Concierge/professional services partner.
• SeminarWebcoreTechnology or IntegrationCore technology partner for CLE catalog delivery, including live webinars and self-paced online courses. Provides credit approval across 26+ state authorities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Consumer Law Center: A national nonprofit focused on consumer law and justice issues. Adjacent to MAJ's civil justice advocacy mission though serving a broader consumer-protection mandate rather than trial lawyers directly.
• Public Justice: A national public interest advocacy organization focused on consumer rights, civil rights, and environmental issues, often through impact litigation. Adjacent to MAJ's advocacy mission though broader in scope.

Direct peers

• Florida Justice Association: Florida's state-level plaintiff trial lawyer association with comparable membership, CLE, and advocacy offerings. Strong functional similarity to MAJ's organizational model.
• California Attorneys for Consumer Justice: California's plaintiff trial lawyer association offering analogous services including CLE, list servers, and advocacy. Direct competitor concept though serving a different state.
• Pennsylvania Association for Justice: Pennsylvania's state-level plaintiff trial lawyer association offering complementary services to MAJ including CLE, advocacy, and member benefits. Similar organizational structure and member demographics.
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (Illinois Justice): A state-level plaintiff trial lawyer association in Illinois with a comparable structure of membership dues, CLE programming, advocacy, and mentorship. Closest functional analog to MAJ in a neighboring state.
• Ohio Association for Justice: Ohio's state plaintiff trial lawyer association offering parallel services to MAJ. Comparable in mission, member structure, and CLE/advocacy programming.
• American Association for Justice: The national plaintiff trial lawyer association that MAJ itself helped spawn (originally as NACCA). AAJ offers overlapping CLE, advocacy, and networking benefits to plaintiff attorneys across the U.S., directly competing with MAJ for Michigan members' dues.
• Texas Trial Lawyers Association: Texas's state trial lawyer association with a similar plaintiff-side focus, membership model, and CLE/advocacy offerings. Comparable mission and member services to MAJ.
• New York State Trial Lawyers Association: One of the largest state-level plaintiff bar associations in the U.S., offering CLE, amicus support, list servers, and legislative advocacy. Comparable to MAJ in mission and membership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/michiganjustice
• Facebookfacebook.com/michiganjustice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michigan-association-for-justice

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michigan Association for Justice