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The differences between assistant paralegals and senior legal assistants 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 senior legal assistant. Additionally, an assistant paralegal has an average salary of $55,677, which is higher than the $51,102 average annual salary of a senior legal assistant.
The top three skills for an assistant paralegal include law firm, litigation and paralegals. The most important skills for a senior legal assistant are litigation, legal research, and legal correspondence.
| Assistant Paralegal | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $55,677 | $51,102 |
| Hourly rate | $26.77 | $24.57 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 6,331 | 9,152 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| 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.
Senior legal assistants are responsible for managing junior-level assistants. They also support lawyers with various legal tasks such as conducting legal research, drafting documents, and hearing trials. These assistants must work with attorneys and clients to review various legal documents to ensure their accuracy and completeness. They gather documents for attorneys and prepare witnesses scheduled for court hearings. Senior legal assistants must also arrange the delivery of subpoenas while preparing the required affidavit of service.
Assistant paralegals and senior legal assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Paralegal | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Average salary | $55,677 | $51,102 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $103,000 | Between $36,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between an assistant paralegal and a senior legal assistant in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Paralegal | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Political Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between assistant paralegals' and senior legal assistants' demographics:
| Assistant Paralegal | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.1% Female, 69.9% | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% |
| 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% |