What Does a Contractor-Paralegal Do?

A Contractor-Paralegal works for a law firm or corporate legal department for a specified amount of time, or for a specified task. They can be specialized in the entertainment industry or in providing services to healthcare companies and insurance providers.

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Contractor-Paralegal Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real contractor-paralegal resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Manage client expenses and prepare billing and financial statements using PClaw and reconcile attorney's escrow and general accounts using QuickBooks.
Assist staff counsels in all aspects of litigation management including factual investigation, document preparation, trial preparation and support.
Research using Lexis Nexis and online resources.
Summarize medical records, check blue-book cites, retrieve statutory and case law on LEXIS ,
Complete contract work for local attorneys in the areas of civil, family law, personal injury, and probate matters.
Prepare, compile and distribute various PowerPoint presentations.
Assist with foreclosure/loss mitigation process and probate administration process.
Prepare legal pleading including special interrogatories and request for production.
Update quarterly reserve, spreadsheets and occasional PowerPoint revisions for presentations.
Research and retrieve documentation request on active subpoenas to comply with subpoena request.
Review, compile and prepare production for discovery and responses to interrogatories and demands.
Ensure appropriate usage of resources to maximize productivity of litigation matters with a concentration on medical arbitration process.
Support litigation management and interface with appropriate internal associates and outside counsel for records collection matters; maintain electronic data rooms.
Provide assistance to the treasury department to obtain financing and preparation of certificates of incumbency, officer affidavits and banking resolutions.
Provide assistance to the treasury department to obtain financing and preparation of certificates of incumbency, officer affidavits and banking resolutions.

Contractor-Paralegal Job Description

Perhaps the hardest question to answer when deciding on a career as a contractor-paralegal is "should I become a contractor-paralegal?" You might find this info to be helpful. When compared to other jobs, contractor-paralegal careers are projected to have a growth rate described as "much faster than average" at 12% from 2018 through 2028. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What's more, is that the projected number of opportunities that are predicted to become available for a contractor-paralegal by 2028 is 39,000.

On average, the contractor-paralegal annual salary is $60,686 per year, which translates to $29.18 an hour. Generally speaking, contractor-paralegals earn anywhere from $37,000 to $99,000 a year, which means that the top-earning contractor-paralegals make $54,000 more than the ones at the lower end of the spectrum.

It's hard work to become a contractor-paralegal, but even the most dedicated employees consider switching careers from time to time. Whether you're interested in a more challenging position or just looking for a fresh start, we've compiled extensive information on becoming a summer associate, law internship, legal office assistant, and legal administrator.

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5 Contractor-Paralegal Resume Examples

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Juan Jenkins Contractor-Paralegal Contact Information Orlando, FL (790) 555-5655 jjenkins@example.com Skills Financial Institutions Discovery Responses Civil Litigation Social Security Original Files Document Review Client Intake Non-Disclosure Agreements Docket Reports Contract Database Employment History Contractor-Paralegal 2016 - Present Morgan & Morgan Orlando, FL Reviewed medical records, analyzed the etiology content, and prepared specialized medical summary reports for retention. Review and analyze legal documents and maintain case files. Facilitate complex client corporate actions to include stock splits, mergers, cash dividends and dividend reinvestment plans. Managed corporate relationships with Company s customs brokers, freight forwarders, and outside customs counsel. Law Clerk 2014 - 2016 GrayRobinson PA Orlando, FL Secured summary judgments, constructive trusts, and permanent injunctions against both corporate infringers of DVD patents and their individual principals. Summer 2013 Reviewed multi--family residential purchase and sale agreements and assisted in--house counsel with drafting. Represent a variety of clients in all aspects of civil litigation, in both state and federal court. Docket Clerk (Part-Time) 2012 - 2014 Osceola County Orlando, FL Provide excellent customer service to customers and staff. Process child support/maintenance modifications and update the case in KPC database. Recorded court proceedings and trials. Examined and proofed legal documents submitted to the court for court compliance and policy. Education Bachelor's Degree Legal Support Services 2011 - 2014 Everest University - South Orlando Orlando, FL


Gerald Young Contractor-Paralegal Contact Info Charlotte, NC (950) 555-5599 gyoung@example.com Skills CraigslistAppropriate OptionsDaily OperationsLexisInternetPositive ShoppingDiscovery ResponsesCRMLease AgreementsRental Agreements Employment History Contractor-Paralegal 2014 - Present Time Warner Cable Enterprises Charlotte, NC Handled travel arrangements for my department, and assisted in all aspects of running an efficient office. Managed complex personal and professional calendars for Vice-President and In-House Counsel. Generated title insurance policies, structured and transcribed powers of attorney, affidavits and other basic legal documents. Compiled data, statistics and supplementary information to maintain research activities, .and redacted and proofread legal documents and correspondences. Gather and analyze statutes, decisions, legal articles and codes using Lexis Nexis research software. Prepared discovery responses including privilege logs. Customer Support Specialist 2012 - 2014 Time Warner Cable Enterprises Charlotte, NC Utilize expertise and effective communication of cable equipment, cable modems, computers, and accessories to assist customers. Assist customers with internet connection, PC, Digital Phone, and or TV set up or connections. Created and implemented PowerPoint presentations, and conducted training to representatives regarding new policies, incentives, and sales. Use many tools to troubleshoot internet, cable, and phone technical problems. Leasing Agent 2011 - 2012 United Properties Holding Lynchburg, VA Keep an open dialogue with property owner on vacancies, tenants, physical condition of property, financial issues. Reviewed and approved the payroll for the Equipment Department. Managed all day-to-day essential business and property management for 276 unit class A conventional community. Manage front end, greet and tour prospects, process applications, manage communication and software through real page database. Perform background checks and verify referrals of prospective tenants. Maintained property customer service standards, respond to resident requests and work with residents to minimize/resolve problems and complaints. Education Bachelor's Degree Legal Support Services 2008 - 2011 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA


Gerald Young Contractor-Paralegal Charlotte, NC (950) 555-5599 gyoung@example.com Experience Contractor-Paralegal2014 - Present Time Warner Cable Enterprises•Charlotte, NC Handled travel arrangements for my department, and assisted in all aspects of running an efficient office. Managed complex personal and professional calendars for Vice-President and In-House Counsel. Generated title insurance policies, structured and transcribed powers of attorney, affidavits and other basic legal documents. Compiled data, statistics and supplementary information to maintain research activities, .and redacted and proofread legal documents and correspondences. Gather and analyze statutes, decisions, legal articles and codes using Lexis Nexis research software. Prepared discovery responses including privilege logs. Customer Support Specialist2012 - 2014 Time Warner Cable Enterprises•Charlotte, NC Utilize expertise and effective communication of cable equipment, cable modems, computers, and accessories to assist customers. Assist customers with internet connection, PC, Digital Phone, and or TV set up or connections. Created and implemented PowerPoint presentations, and conducted training to representatives regarding new policies, incentives, and sales. Use many tools to troubleshoot internet, cable, and phone technical problems. Leasing Agent2011 - 2012 United Properties Holding•Lynchburg, VA Keep an open dialogue with property owner on vacancies, tenants, physical condition of property, financial issues. Reviewed and approved the payroll for the Equipment Department. Managed all day-to-day essential business and property management for 276 unit class A conventional community. Manage front end, greet and tour prospects, process applications, manage communication and software through real page database. Perform background checks and verify referrals of prospective tenants. Maintained property customer service standards, respond to resident requests and work with residents to minimize/resolve problems and complaints. Skills CraigslistAppropriate OptionsDaily OperationsLexisInternetPositive ShoppingDiscovery ResponsesCRMLease AgreementsRental Agreements Education Bachelor's Degree Legal Support Services2008 - 2011 Liberty University•Lynchburg, VA

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Contractor-Paralegal Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 12% of Contractor-Paralegals are proficient in Litigation, Legal Research, and Discovery Responses. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Computer skills, and Interpersonal skills.

We break down the percentage of Contractor-Paralegals that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Litigation, 12%
Support Senior Counsel on all litigation matters, electronic discovery, including scoping initial litigation holds and coordinating collection of data.
Legal Research, 9%
Involved in all aspects of litigation support including legal research, factual investigation, information analysis, and document management.
Discovery Responses, 7%
Communicated with outside legal counsel and various in-house departments to coordinate all discovery responses.
PowerPoint, 7%
Updated quarterly reserve, spreadsheets and occasional PowerPoint revisions for presentations.
In-House Counsel, 5%
Assist in-house counsel with other tasks that need to be performed to establish the validity of leases.
Contract Database, 5%
Managed contract process from initial request through execution and contract database upload.

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Some of the skills we found on contractor-paralegal resumes included "litigation," "legal research," and "discovery responses." We have detailed the most important contractor-paralegal responsibilities below.

Communication skills can be considered to be the most important personality trait for a contractor-paralegal to have. According to a contractor-paralegal resume, "paralegals must be able to document and present their research and related information to their supervising attorney." Contractor-paralegals are able to use communication skills in the following example we gathered from a resume: "conducted legal research, compiled data, and trial preparation managed daily client communication assisted and supported support staff"

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many contractor-paralegal duties rely on computer skills. This example from a contractor-paralegal explains why: "paralegals need to be familiar with using computers for legal research and litigation support." This resume example is just one of many ways contractor-paralegals are able to utilize computer skills: "performed computerized and legal research to obtain and gather case-relevant data and materials. "

Contractor-paralegals are also known for interpersonal skills, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a contractor-paralegal resume: "paralegals spend most of their time working with clients and other professionals and must be able to develop good relationships" We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "secured interpersonal relationships with other firms/counsels to guarantee documents are executed prior to confirmed foreclosure sale dates. "

A contractor-paralegal responsibilities sometimes require "organizational skills." The responsibilities that rely on this skills are shown by this resume excerpt: "paralegals may be responsible for many cases at one time" This resume example shows how this skill is used by contractor-paralegals: "worked with attorneys on assignments that require sharp attention to detail and excellent organizational skills. "

Another common skill for a contractor-paralegal to be able to utilize is "research skills." Paralegals gather facts of the case and research information on relevant laws and regulations to prepare drafts of legal documents for attorneys and help them prepare for a case. A contractor-paralegal demonstrated the need for this skill by putting this on their resume: "performed legal research and case analysis related to pending litigation. "

See the full list of contractor-paralegal skills.

Before becoming a contractor-paralegal, 52.6% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 6.1% contractor-paralegals went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, most contractor-paralegals have a college degree. But about one out of every seven contractor-paralegals didn't attend college at all.

Those contractor-paralegals who do attend college, typically earn either legal support services degrees or political science degrees. Less commonly earned degrees for contractor-paralegals include business degrees or law degrees.

Once you've obtained the level of education you're comfortable with, you might start applying to companies to become a contractor-paralegal. We've found that most contractor-paralegal resumes include experience from Johnson Matthey Plc, DRW, and Ernst & Young. Of recent, Johnson Matthey Plc had 51 positions open for contractor-paralegals. Meanwhile, there are 2 job openings at DRW and 2 at Ernst & Young.

Since salary is important to some contractor-paralegals, it's good to note that they are figured to earn the highest salaries at SeaSpine, U.S. Pharmacopeia, and Ngam Advisors, L.P. If you were to take a closer look at SeaSpine, you'd find that the average contractor-paralegal salary is $88,162. Then at U.S. Pharmacopeia, contractor-paralegals receive an average salary of $85,259, while the salary at Ngam Advisors, L.P. is $83,982.

View more details on contractor-paralegal salaries across the United States.

If you earned a degree from the top 100 educational institutions in the United States, you might want to take a look at Law Office, Pauls, and Skadden. These three companies have hired a significant number of contractor-paralegals from these institutions.

The industries that contractor-paralegals fulfill the most roles in are the health care and media industries. But the highest contractor-paralegal annual salary is in the finance industry, averaging $79,049. In the health care industry they make $71,159 and average about $68,062 in the professional industry. In conclusion, contractor-paralegals who work in the finance industry earn a 78.2% higher salary than contractor-paralegals in the government industry.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious contractor-paralegals are:

Johnson Matthey Plc51 Contractor-Paralegals Jobs
L3Harris2 Contractor-Paralegals Jobs
International Paper2 Contractor-Paralegals Jobs

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What Summer Associates Do

Summer associates are law students hired seasonally by law firms. The aim is for future lawyers to be exposed to the practical aspects of a firm. Typically, this program lasts for nine weeks, beginning in May and running through July. Summer associates are expected to be friendly and kind to people, preserve company reputation, support other associates, and perform legal tasks appropriately.

In this section, we compare the average contractor-paralegal annual salary with that of a summer associate. Typically, summer associates earn a $18,337 lower salary than contractor-paralegals earn annually.

Even though contractor-paralegals and summer associates have vast differences in their careers, a few of the skills required to do both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require litigation, legal research, and powerpoint in the day-to-day roles.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. A contractor-paralegal responsibility is more likely to require skills like "discovery responses," "in-house counsel," "contract database," and "real estate." Whereas a summer associate requires skills like "first hand," "client facing," "team work," and "financial models." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.

Summer associates really shine in the professional industry with an average salary of $86,415. Whereas contractor-paralegals tend to make the most money in the finance industry with an average salary of $79,049.

On average, summer associates reach higher levels of education than contractor-paralegals. Summer associates are 5.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 5.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Law Internship?

A law internship is a program that is designed for law students to give them valuable insight into the professional lives of attorneys and judges. Law interns need to understand and observe what being a lawyer involves. They are required to conduct research and present it to their superiors for case preparations. They must assist their senior lawyers in organizing all of their legal paperwork that includes case files, evidence records, and legal documents. Law interns are also required to be present in the courtroom to assist lawyers and experience actual courtroom proceedings.

Next up, we have the law internship profession to look over. This career brings along a lower average salary when compared to a contractor-paralegal annual salary. In fact, law interns salary difference is $21,292 lower than the salary of contractor-paralegals per year.

While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both contractor-paralegals and law interns are known to have skills such as "litigation," "legal research," and "powerpoint. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that contractor-paralegal responsibilities requires skills like "discovery responses," "in-house counsel," "contract database," and "due diligence." But a law internship might use skills, such as, "legal memos," "legal intern," "law enforcement," and "court proceedings."

On the topic of education, law interns earn similar levels of education than contractor-paralegals. In general, they're 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 5.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Legal Office Assistant Compares

A Legal Office Assistants serves as the apprentice of lawyers. They are responsible for doing daily clerical works inside a law office. They gather relevant information like pieces of evidence and organizes all the needed data. They also prepare subpoenas and summonses, review legal documents, and take down notes in a courtroom. Unlike the Lawyers, this career handles a more significant caseload. They must also have good communication skills with clients regarding their cases.

The third profession we take a look at is legal office assistant. On an average scale, these workers bring in lower salaries than contractor-paralegals. In fact, they make a $26,553 lower salary per year.

Using contractor-paralegals and legal office assistants resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "litigation," "legal research," and "powerpoint," but the other skills required are very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, a contractor-paralegal is likely to be skilled in "discovery responses," "in-house counsel," "contract database," and "due diligence," while a typical legal office assistant is skilled in "management system," "data entry," "office equipment," and "word processing."

Additionally, legal office assistants earn a higher salary in the non profits industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $41,921. Additionally, contractor-paralegals earn an average salary of $79,049 in the finance industry.

Legal office assistants are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to contractor-paralegals. Additionally, they're 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 4.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Legal Administrator

The job of legal administrative assistants is to provide support to lawyers and paralegals. They typically perform legal research, manage schedules, and draft legal-related documents. Other duties include interpreting laws, regulations, and rulings in legal documents, obtaining information from other agencies or organizations, and preparing management and legal reports. In addition, legal administrative assistants are responsible for updating and maintaining databases and ensuring to provide effective administrative assistance. They are also expected to schedule client meetings and court hearings.

Legal administrators tend to earn a lower pay than contractor-paralegals by about $13,488 per year.

While both contractor-paralegals and legal administrators complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like litigation, legal research, and powerpoint, the two careers also vary in other skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a contractor-paralegal might have more use for skills like "discovery responses," "contract database," "contract review," and "non-disclosure agreements." Meanwhile, some legal administrators might include skills like "veterans," "management system," "data entry," and "life insurance" on their resume.

Now, let's take a closer look at the financials in each career. The government industry tends to pay more for legal administrators with an average of $54,616. While the highest contractor-paralegal annual salary comes from the finance industry.

The average resume of legal administrators showed that they earn similar levels of education to contractor-paralegals. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 2.9% more. Additionally, they're less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 1.7%.

Updated October 2, 2020