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Job outlook for legal research assistants in the United States
Are legal research assistant jobs in demand?
Legal research assistant job and salary trends over time
Legal research assistant jobs over time
Legal research assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,467 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,452 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,440 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,353 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,267 | 0.00% |
Average legal research assistant salary over time
Legal research assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $52,497 | $25.24 | +2.3% |
| 2025 | $51,326 | $24.68 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | $50,532 | $24.29 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $50,007 | $24.04 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $49,104 | $23.61 | +1.4% |
Legal research assistant jobs by state
Most common states for legal research assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 208 | 30% |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 166 | 16% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 101 | 16% |
| 4 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 606 | 15% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 194 | 14% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 747 | 13% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 712 | 13% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 115 | 12% |
| 9 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 103 | 12% |
| 10 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 67 | 12% |
| 11 | California | 39,536,653 | 4,345 | 11% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,449 | 11% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 904 | 11% |
| 14 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 736 | 11% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 206 | 11% |
| 16 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 81 | 11% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 936 | 10% |
| 18 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 306 | 10% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 105 | 10% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 307 | 9% |
Legal Research Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of legal research assistant experts
Indiana University Bloomington
Catholic University of America
University of Baltimore
Eric Sader
Lecturer, Kelley School of BusinessIndiana University Bloomington
Department of Business Law & Ethics
What type of skills will young Legal Research Assistants need?
Eric Sader: The emphasis on high-level interpersonal skills is expected to continue. More than ever, graduates need to expect the unexpected in a turbulent and changing world. Those employees who best have exemplified leadership, active listening, patience, flexibility, and responsibility during recent months are assuredly ones management will look to for future promotions and advancement opportunities. Absolutely, technology is more important than ever, but what is it about personalities that we often see as "tech-savvy"? Sure, it helps to have grown up in the Internet age, but more broadly these personalities are often those who crave learning and new experiences, who are willing and eager to adapt to new modalities. And these traits are not limited to students of any age, with rewards far beyond the keyboard.
What experience really stands out on Legal Research Assistant resumes?
Eric Sader: Top resumes have altered over time from description-based to action-based to accomplishment-based. In short, don't tell me what you were assigned to do in any given role. That would be the same for anyone who held that position. Instead, tell me what made you shine in that capacity! What impact did you make and how can you explain that impact in a way I can measure it in reading through your resume? Tell me what that accomplishment has to say about you as a person who possesses a skill or attribute that can be put to work in my own organization. Explain in short what were you most proud of from every resume line item you decide to include.
Chad Smith
Director of Legal ProgramsCatholic University of America
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies
What skills stand out on Legal Research Assistant resumes?
Chad Smith: For paralegal's skills that stand out particularly in the current market:
-Experience with technology, online platforms, digital/online research (Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law)
-Telework/telecommuting, e-discovery and cloud computing/services, document creation and formatting
-Communication/writing skills and specifically the ability to understand the law and communicate legal matters effectively for court, layman clients, and attorneys
-The ability to write effective legal documents that are clear, concise, and complete
-Organization, efficiency, time management, and case management
I definitely emphasize the requirement of computer skills, as personally, I would not hire any paralegal who is not very competent and comfortable working digitally. Additionally, case management and the ability to juggle many cases at a time is extremely important. It definitely stands out when a paralegal has experience managing a large caseload and can produce quality legal pleadings in a very efficient manner.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Legal Research Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Roger Hartley Ph.D.: There are two or more possibly offsetting trends in the government job market. On the one hand, a huge portion of the public service employment sector is retiring. This means big needs by governments at the federal, state and local level, but also unusual pressure, too. Some government leaders no longer have the opportunity to "groom" an employee for leadership. As boomers leave and turnover happens, the middle of the workforce has to move up fast. They need more education and skills that can be provided by universities or certificates and in-house training. Then those positions will become available to entry-level employees.
At the same time, the pandemic has hit the budgets of governments hard, and this means that while there is a huge need for new hires, because of turnover, there may be budget pressure that limits hiring. Therefore, public service efficiency and effectiveness could be jeopardized.
Last, consider that some technical fields have more attractive pay in industry or that some people leave after two years. Governments must not only face succession but also face the need to hold onto employees.