Introducing True North Legal Group

Greetings from Traverse City! I am excited to announce the launch of True North Legal Group. TNLG is a business that I have been developing for almost a year now. I am excited to finally open our doors and begin serving the people of Northern Michigan.

Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Josh Traeger. I grew up in Pennsylvania, went to college in North Carolina, and then law school in Chicago. Now, I live and work in Traverse City. I am married to an amazing woman who grew up in Michigan, and we have two wonderful young children. We love calling Northern Michigan “home.” Before settling here in Traverse City, my family and I lived all around the world during my time in the military. I spent ten years on active duty in the United States Air Force. I was a “JAG,” or a legal officer, and most of my career was spent prosecuting or defending important cases. For the last six years of my military service, I was a senior prosecutor, handling some of the military’s most difficult legal cases. I led military trials in South Korea, Guam, Japan, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and twenty-seven different states (including Alaska and Hawaii). It was an adventure, but I missed the sense of belonging in a community. That’s why I love Northern Michigan so much. It truly is my family’s home.

When I left the military, I knew that I wanted to continue to serve. Service is in my blood. It is why I joined the military, it is what motivates my work every day, and it is why I launched True North Legal Group. I want our law firm to focus on serving the needs of the people of Northern Michigan. Our mission is to help individuals overcome legal barriers and achieve their goals and dreams.

In that sense, TNLG is different than most law firms. At the core of our business is a dedication to community. As we say, we are a “community-centered law practice.” What that means is that we help solve individual legal problems, but we do so with community in mind. We are values-driven, and we will disrupt the local legal industry by remaining true to ourselves and our vision for this community. We represent a new evolution of “law firm” that is truly invested in people’s lives and is integrated into the Northern Michigan community in a meaningful way.

True North Legal Group will initially focus on assisting veterans seeking legal representation and helping Northern Michigan citizens facing criminal charges. My legal career so far has focused on criminal law, with particular experience handling cases involving sexual assault and sexual harassment. And being a veteran myself, I also look forward to assisting former military members to overcome discrimination in employment, avoid credit or foreclosure problems, and maximize healthcare, disability, and education benefits.

I have big visions for the future of TNLG and our community of Northern Michigan. Over time, we will grow TNLG to handle employment law matters, business startup services, and nonprofit legal advisement. All the while, we will find ways to contribute to Northern Michigan in unique and impactful ways. No matter how we grow into the future, I am dedicated to remaining focused on our founding values.

At the heart of TNLG is a simple mission – through world-class legal advocacy, we support and transform the lives of our clients, advance justice and fairness in the legal system, and work tirelessly to make Northern Michigan an even better place for all that call it home.

If you’ve read this far, I hope you’ll take a few more minutes to look around. This website is a reflection of me and my vision for our business. Our brand was imagined by a fantastic Northern Michigan design firm, and our website is built and maintained by a great Northern Michigan company. I am proud of and deeply thankful for the work they have done to help me launch this business. I am also grateful to my family and all my friends, both in Traverse City and beyond, who have helped me make this vision a reality.

On this website, you’ll also find plenty of information about who we are and what we want to bring to this community. And on this blog, over the coming weeks, months, and years, you’ll find personal thoughts and writings from me on the law, our community, and how TNLG can help you solve legal problems and achieve your dreams. I hope you’ll check back often to see what we’re up to.

If you have any thoughts for me, or if TNLG can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m available via phone at (231) 800-8654 or email at josh@truenorthlegalgroup.com.

Thanks so much for your time. I look forward to seeing you around our community and helping in any way I can.

In service,