Corporate secretary vs corporate paralegal

The differences between corporate secretaries and corporate paralegals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a corporate secretary, becoming a corporate paralegal takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a corporate secretary has an average salary of $88,550, which is higher than the $67,515 average annual salary of a corporate paralegal.

The top three skills for a corporate secretary include corporate governance, proxy and meeting minutes. The most important skills for a corporate paralegal are litigation, corporate governance, and legal research.

Corporate secretary vs corporate paralegal overview

	Corporate Secretary	Corporate Paralegal
Yearly salary	$88,550	$67,515
Hourly rate	$42.57	$32.46
Growth rate	-8%	14%
Number of jobs	16,480	13,482
Job satisfaction	5	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	50	46
Years of experience	2	12

What does a corporate secretary do?

A Corporate Secretary works in promoting corporate governance and regulatory compliance. They make certain that the board of directors is equipped with the necessary tools and information in fulfilling their shareholder obligations. They ensure the integrity of an enterprise's governance framework. It is their responsibility to ensure the efficiency of business administration in compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements. Corporate Secretaries also implement the decisions of the board.

What does a corporate paralegal do?

A Corporate Paralegal helps attorneys gather information and materials in preparation for different kinds of cases, hearings, or meetings. They also work in the legal departments of large corporations and for government agencies.

Corporate secretary vs corporate paralegal salary

Corporate secretaries and corporate paralegals have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Corporate Secretary	Corporate Paralegal
Average salary	$88,550	$67,515
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $132,000	Between $42,000 And $106,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between corporate secretary and corporate paralegal education

There are a few differences between a corporate secretary and a corporate paralegal in terms of educational background:

	Corporate Secretary	Corporate Paralegal
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Business	Legal Support Services
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Corporate secretary vs corporate paralegal demographics

Here are the differences between corporate secretaries' and corporate paralegals' demographics:

	Corporate Secretary	Corporate Paralegal
Average age	50	46
Gender ratio	Male, 24.5% Female, 75.5%	Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 5.8% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	6%	9%

Differences between corporate secretary and corporate paralegal duties and responsibilities

Corporate secretary example responsibilities.

Manage all mutual fund complex proxy solicitation matters and coordinate related shareholder meetings.
Purchase and manage investment portfolio, and supervise selling funds and investment securities.
Prepare annual proxy statement and other public disclosure statements require by federal securities laws.
Draft responses to subpoenas, interrogatories and other document requests.
Work with CFO and CPA in preparing annual tax reports.
Liaise with internal accountant and external CPA to prepare quarterly financial statements.

Corporate paralegal example responsibilities.

Manage a team of five to prepare over 100 UCC-1 forms to meet a 48 hour deadline.
Achieve sole responsibility for administration of all estates and guardianships.
Prepare documents such as estoppel certificates, subordination agreements and commencement agreements.
Collect and prepare information and draft answers to department litigation including informational statements, pleadings, and affidavits.
Involve in all aspects of litigation support including legal research, factual investigations, document review/management, and trial preparation.
Analyze and review of new and existing commercial lease agreements, estoppel certificates, subordination and non-disturbance agreements and lease amendments.

Corporate secretary vs corporate paralegal skills

Common corporate secretary skills

Corporate Governance, 10%
Proxy, 10%
Meeting Minutes, 8%
Litigation, 7%
Travel Arrangements, 7%
Payroll Taxes, 6%

Common corporate paralegal skills

Litigation, 9%
Corporate Governance, 7%
Legal Research, 6%
Mergers, 5%
Securities, 5%
Excellent Organizational, 4%

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Corporate Secretary
Corporate Secretary vs Corporate Paralegal

Updated January 8, 2025

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