A latch assembly (300, 400, 400a) for releasably securing a first member in a closed position relative to a second member, one of said first member and said second member having a striker (508, 508a) in a fixed positional relationship therewith, the latch assembly comprising: a housing (302, 402, 402a); a pawl (304, 404, 404a) pivotally supported by said housing (302, 402, 402a) and being movable between a latched position and an unlatched position by pivotal movement about a pawl pivot axis, said pawl (304, 404, 404a) being provided with a torsion spring that biases said pawl (304, 404, 404a) toward the unlatched position; actuation means (308, 408); and a trigger (306, 406, 406a) pivotally supported by said housing (302, 402, 402a), said trigger (306, 406, 406a) being movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, said trigger (306, 406, 406a) having a first lever arm (484, 484a) adapted to engage said pawl (304, 404, 404a) and maintain said pawl in said latched position when said pawl is in said latched position and said trigger is in said engaged position, said trigger (306, 406, 406a) having a second lever arm (486, 486a) capable of engagement by said actuation means, said actuation means selectively engaging said second lever arm (486, 486a) to move said trigger (306, 406, 406a) to said disengaged position to thereby allow said pawl (304, 404, 404a) to move to said unlatched position, said second lever arm pivoting toward said pawl (304, 404, 404a) and said pawl (304, 404, 404a) pivoting toward said trigger (306, 406, 406a) as said trigger (306, 406, 406a) is moved from said engaged position to said disengaged position, and said trigger (306, 406, 406a) is pivotally movable about a trigger pivot axis that is parallel to and spaced apart from said pawl pivot axis. a housing (302, 402, 402a); a pawl (304, 404, 404a) pivotally supported by said housing (302, 402, 402a) and being movable between a latched position and an unlatched position by pivotal movement about a pawl pivot axis, said pawl (304, 404, 404a) being provided with a torsion spring that biases said pawl (304, 404, 404a) toward the unlatched position; actuation means (308, 408); and a trigger (306, 406, 406a) pivotally supported by said housing (302, 402, 402a), said trigger (306, 406, 406a) being movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, said trigger (306, 406, 406a) having a first lever arm (484, 484a) adapted to engage said pawl (304, 404, 404a) and maintain said pawl in said latched position when said pawl is in said latched position and said trigger is in said engaged position, said trigger (306, 406, 406a) having a second lever arm (486, 486a) capable of engagement by said actuation means, said actuation means selectively engaging said second lever arm (486, 486a) to move said trigger (306, 406, 406a) to said disengaged position to thereby allow said pawl (304, 404, 404a) to move to said unlatched position, said second lever arm pivoting toward said pawl (304, 404, 404a) and said pawl (304, 404, 404a) pivoting toward said trigger (306, 406, 406a) as said trigger (306, 406, 406a) is moved from said engaged position to said disengaged position, and said trigger (306, 406, 406a) is pivotally movable about a trigger pivot axis that is parallel to and spaced apart from said pawl pivot axis.