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The differences between assistant paralegals and legal clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an assistant paralegal and a legal clerk. Additionally, an assistant paralegal has an average salary of $55,677, which is higher than the $35,152 average annual salary of a legal clerk.
The top three skills for an assistant paralegal include law firm, litigation and paralegals. The most important skills for a legal clerk are litigation, legal correspondence, and subpoenas.
| Assistant Paralegal | Legal Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $55,677 | $35,152 |
| Hourly rate | $26.77 | $16.90 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 6,331 | 74,069 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Assistant paralegals are legal professionals who plan, develop, and manage cases. The assistant paralegals collect and arrange evidence and legal documents for review by attorneys and case preparation. They draft correspondence, document responses, discoveries, and pleadings. It is their duty to analyze and either write or summarize reports so that attorneys can prepare for their trials. They contact and have a conference with their clients. Among the skills the paralegal assistant needs to possess include communication, writing, research, organization, and confidentiality.
A legal clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to legal offices and organizations to ensure smooth legal business operations. Legal clerks sort and distribute documents to the appropriate personnel, update information on the database, schedule appointments, respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, and document meeting objectives. They may also coordinate with other offices and institutions to acquire files and research data according to the needs of the managing department. A legal clerk must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in monitoring business transactions and submitting reports timely and accurately.
Assistant paralegals and legal clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Paralegal | Legal Clerk | |
| Average salary | $55,677 | $35,152 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $103,000 | Between $24,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | New York |
| Best paying company | - | Diodes Incorporated |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between an assistant paralegal and a legal clerk in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Paralegal | Legal Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Political Science | Law |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between assistant paralegals' and legal clerks' demographics:
| Assistant Paralegal | Legal Clerk | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.1% Female, 69.9% | Male, 39.9% Female, 60.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |