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What does a legal research analyst do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
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Legal research analyst responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real legal research analyst resumes:

  • Manage and provide responses to incoming subpoenas and discovery requests relating to underwriting files and policy and accounting information.
  • Perform activities relate to maintaining legal case files, drafting depositions, and working with subpoenas.
  • Review and analyze pertinent litigation, medical and scientific information.
  • Comply and summarize pertinent medical and scientific issues into litigation relevant chronologies.
  • Provide direct support for both clinical and administrative data information requirements through analyzing, evaluating and coordinating healthcare devilry operations.
  • Developed/Maintain legal and IP database of all existing contracts, invention disclosures and file patent applications.

Legal research analyst skills and personality traits

We calculated that 32% of Legal Research Analysts are proficient in Bloomberg, Legal Support, and Litigation. They’re also known for soft skills such as Problem-solving skills, Speaking skills, and Writing skills.

We break down the percentage of Legal Research Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Bloomberg, 32%

    Developed enhancements to Bloomberg BNA legal products, submitting proposals to product design and Research & Development teams.

  • Legal Support, 30%

    Delivered high-quality telephonic legal research assistance to attorneys, legal support team and law students

  • Litigation, 15%

    Complied and summarized pertinent medical and scientific issues into litigation relevant chronologies.

  • Legal Research Tools, 9%

    Tested queries and new software features on computerized legal research tools to assess their accuracy.

  • Subpoenas, 4%

    Performed activities related to maintaining legal case files, drafting depositions, and working with subpoenas.

  • Legal Issues, 3%

    Researched insurance-related legal issues; revised member advocate legal handbook.

Common skills that a legal research analyst uses to do their job include "bloomberg," "legal support," and "litigation." You can find details on the most important legal research analyst responsibilities below.

Problem-solving skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a legal research analyst to have is problem-solving skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "lawyers must evaluate information to propose viable solutions, mediate disputes, and reach agreements or settlements for their clients." Legal research analysts often use problem-solving skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "resolved routine matters and litigation with input from in house counsel, internal servicing clients and law firms. "

Interpersonal skills. legal research analyst responsibilities often require "interpersonal skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "lawyers must build relationships with current and prospective clients, as well as with their colleagues and other members of the legal community." This resume example shows what legal research analysts do with interpersonal skills on a typical day: "conducted phone surveys for nationwide clients customer service skills& interpersonal skills focus group data analysis"

Research skills. A commonly-found skill in legal research analyst job descriptions, "research skills" is essential to what legal research analysts do. Legal research analyst responsibilities rely on this skill because "lawyers need to find laws and regulations that apply to a specific matter in order to provide appropriate legal advice for their clients." You can also see how legal research analyst duties rely on research skills in this resume example: "researched engineering records and corresponded with gm litigation coordinators and attorneys in relation to lawsuits brought against general motors. "

Analytical skills. Another skill commonly found on legal research analyst job descriptions is "analytical skills." It can come up quite often in legal research analyst duties, since "lawyers interpret the law as it applies to their client’s case." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day legal research analyst responsibilities: "reviewed and analyzed pertinent litigation, medical and scientific information. "

Most common legal research analyst skills

The three companies that hire the most legal research analysts are:

  • Tech Allies Solutions

Compare different legal research analysts

Legal research analyst vs. Attorney

Generally, an attorney's responsibility is to advise the client with an ongoing lawsuit on the legal procedures and provide strategies to resolve the case as early as possible. An attorney compiles necessary documents or any records for appeal and client's defense. Attorneys must acquire strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to mediate disputes and settle pending litigation for the client's best interest. In some cases, an attorney's procedure depends on any evidence and research presented during the trial period. An attorney is expected to present clients on legal proceedings, seeking justice and justifying the law.

If we compare the average legal research analyst annual salary with that of an attorney, we find that attorneys typically earn a $51,443 higher salary than legal research analysts make annually.Even though legal research analysts and attorneys are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require litigation, subpoenas, and legal issues in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, legal research analyst responsibilities require skills like "bloomberg," "legal support," "court opinions," and "legal research tools." Meanwhile a typical attorney has skills in areas such as "legal advice," "juris," "legal services," and "appeals." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

The education levels that attorneys earn slightly differ from legal research analysts. In particular, attorneys are 4.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a legal research analyst. Additionally, they're 28.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Legal research analyst vs. Lawyer

A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.

A career as a lawyer brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a legal research analyst. In fact, lawyers salary is $57,775 higher than the salary of legal research analysts per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Legal research analysts and lawyers both require similar skills like "legal support," "litigation," and "subpoenas" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, legal research analyst responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "bloomberg," "court opinions," "legal research tools," and "business research." Meanwhile, a lawyer has duties that require skills in areas such as "real estate," "civil law," "legal advice," and "intellectual property." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Lawyers earn similar levels of education than legal research analysts in general. They're 4.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 28.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Legal research analyst vs. Attorney at law

An Attorney at Law is responsible for preparing and examining contracts involving leases, licenses, purchases, sales, etc. They advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, or legal rights and obligations.

An average attorney at law eans a higher salary compared to the average salary of legal research analysts. The difference in salaries amounts to attorneys at law earning a $49,985 higher average salary than legal research analysts.By looking over several legal research analysts and attorneys at law resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "litigation," "subpoenas," and "legal issues." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a legal research analyst is likely to be skilled in "bloomberg," "legal support," "court opinions," and "legal research tools," while a typical attorney at law is skilled in "juris," "real estate transactions," "probate," and "legal advice."

Attorneys at law earn the highest salary when working in the retail industry, where they receive an average salary of $120,546. Comparatively, legal research analysts have the highest earning potential in the professional industry, with an average salary of $78,511.Most attorneys at law achieve a similar degree level compared to legal research analysts. For example, they're 3.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 32.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Legal research analyst vs. Bankruptcy specialist

The bankruptcy specialist is responsible for filing and documentation loan bankruptcy materials with the appropriate attorneys. They ensure full compliance with loan bankruptcy regulations and monitor accounts throughout the loan bankruptcy process to contact the appropriate party when necessary. A bankruptcy specialist might be an administrator or lawyer in a bankruptcy office and supports bankruptcy law. They are likely to evaluate state declaration and affidavits for legal progression, interact with customers and outside counsel about bankruptcy proceedings through written and verbal communication, and work with local counsel and upper management in effectively reviewing client's files.

Bankruptcy specialists typically earn lower pay than legal research analysts. On average, bankruptcy specialists earn a $22,535 lower salary per year.While their salaries may vary, legal research analysts and bankruptcy specialists both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "litigation," "sharepoint," and "non-performing loans. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "bloomberg," "legal support," "court opinions," and "legal research tools" are skills that commonly show up on legal research analyst resumes. On the other hand, bankruptcy specialists use skills like relief, pacer, foreclosure, and msp on their resumes.In general, bankruptcy specialists earn the most working in the finance industry, with an average salary of $47,222. The highest-paying industry for a legal research analyst is the professional industry.The average resume of bankruptcy specialists showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to legal research analysts. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 4.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 18.2%.

Types of legal research analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.