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Job outlook for legal technicians in the United States
Are legal technician jobs in demand?
Legal technician job and salary trends over time
Legal technician jobs over time
Legal technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 573 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 567 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 562 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 528 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 495 | 0.00% |
Average legal technician salary over time
Legal technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $62,283 | $29.94 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $60,894 | $29.28 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $59,953 | $28.82 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $59,329 | $28.52 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $58,258 | $28.01 | +1.4% |
Legal technician jobs by state
Most common states for legal technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 150 | 22% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 93 | 13% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 159 | 12% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 62 | 10% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 639 | 9% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 86 | 9% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 464 | 8% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 448 | 8% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 243 | 8% |
| 10 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 112 | 8% |
| 11 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 860 | 7% |
| 12 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 710 | 7% |
| 13 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 709 | 7% |
| 14 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 438 | 7% |
| 15 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 249 | 7% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 203 | 7% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 133 | 7% |
| 18 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 120 | 7% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 71 | 7% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 574 | 6% |
Most common cities for legal technicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burbank | 2 | 2% | $69,327 |
| 2 | Washington | 2 | 0% | $79,749 |
Legal Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of legal technician experts
Highline College
Berkeley College
Catholic University of America
Berkeley College
University of Hartford
California University of Pennsylvania
University of Iowa
University of Houston - Clear Lake
Ferris State University
New England Law | Boston
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Illinois State University
Indiana University Bloomington
Catholic University of America
University of Baltimore
The Ohio State University
New College of Florida
Marquette University
What skills will help Legal Technicians earn the most?
Che Dawson J.D.: Technology! Most attorneys aren't outstanding with technology. They really value assistants who are!
Richard Olivieri
Professor, Legal StudiesBerkeley College
School of Professional St
What skills stand out on Legal Technician resumes?
Richard Olivieri: Over the past decade, legal specialists have assumed a combination of responsibilities historically handled by legal secretaries, paralegals, office managers, and, in some law firms, the accounting and billing departments. As a result, when a law firm partner or hiring committee reviews resumes of prospective legal specialists, they typically focus on the experience and education backgrounds of candidates to ensure that they possess excellent communication and critical thinking skills. Legal specialists should also be proficient in legal technology. In addition to having knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and Clio. Legal specialists should be familiar with time tracking and billing software (e.g., TimeSlips).
What soft skills should all Legal Technicians possess?
Richard Olivieri: As in most professions, legal specialists must possess soft skills. Soft skills such as being a team player, the ability to multitask, and the capability of interacting on a personal level with staff and clients are expected. Furthermore, since lawyers and clients typically serve as a buffer, legal specialists must exhibit empathy and patience when communicating with clients.
What skills will help Legal Technicians earn the most?
Richard Olivieri: Proficiency in technology and excellent writing skills are the two skills that will likely result in higher earnings for legal specialists.
Chad Smith
Director of Legal ProgramsCatholic University of America
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies
What soft skills should all Legal Technicians possess?
Chad Smith: Soft skills are those intangibles that every great professor has- a dynamic presenter that commands the attention and interest of their class/audience. These are the professors that intuitively know how to communicate lessons and convey meaning. Strong reasoning, problem-solving, critical thinking, and flexibility. Last, is leadership as every great professor needs to lead their class and be comfortable being the center of attention.
What soft skills should all Legal Technicians possess?
Traci Dingle Ph.D.: Important soft skills include emotional intelligence and attention to detail. Working in the legal field, you may interact with attorneys, clients, or the public during stressful times. Accordingly, it is crucial to have self-awareness to be able to understand and control your emotions. It is also essential to gauge the feelings of others to provide the needed resources to support them and to show empathy, as working through the legal process may be emotional for some. Lastly, it is vital to exercise attention to detail when drafting documents or when talking with clients, as errors or not remembering important information about the client may imply that you or the office does not care about the client. Remember, you are a representative of the office, and your actions also reflect back on your colleagues.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Legal Technicians?
Traci Dingle Ph.D.: The most essential hard or technical skills needed for Legal Specialists are computer skills. Learning or improving on these capabilities through formal training, certifications, or even free online courses is wise if you are unfamiliar with trending programs or suites. COVID-19 has shown how essential it is to have technological skills since traditional workspaces have shifted into working from your home space.
What skills stand out on Legal Technician resumes?
Traci Dingle Ph.D.: Skills that stand out on a Legal Specialist's resume include legal research and writing, analytical and logical skills, and time management. Prior experience with legal research and writing tells your future employer that you know or are familiar with the research and writing process. Moreover, it would be helpful to be familiar with at least one legal database, like Westlaw or LexisNexis. Analytical and logical skills warrant that you may reasonably use critical thinking and reasoning to solve problems that may arise in your day-to-day operations. Lastly, demonstrated skills in time management imply you can multi-task, prioritize, and meet deadlines while producing quality work.
What skills will help Legal Technicians earn the most?
Regina Graziani: Much of this answer depends on the practice area. Knowing the technology, processes, and the ability to research the law in a particular area of law are extremely important. Also important are professionalism, the ability to work independently and anticipate what is needed, always seeking to learn more and streamline processes, and is conscientious about their work.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Legal Technicians?
Brian Kohlhepp: Largely, this would be acquiring a Master's degree. Many folks obtain this degree for an advancement at their current employer or in order to make themselves a more attractive candidate to the overall job field.
What will help Legal Technicians increase their earning potential?
Bram Elias: Building good professional networks always helps. The best way to do that is to make friends and be a good colleague to your fellow law students. The main reason to do that is because it is the decent and pleasant thing to do - but I guess it's nice to know that not being a jerk is a good career strategy, too.
What technical skills for a Legal Technician stand out to employers?
Vanessa Johnson: Data and/or statistical analysis skills, accounting / financial management skills, and coding / programming skills are the technical skills that come to mind. Many people don't think of human resources are a quantitative function, but analytical and financial skills are foundational to all corporate functions. Additionally, because of the overall influence of technology in business, basic coding / programming skills are becoming increasingly important in all corporate functions. Finally, I don't know whether or not language skills fall into the "technical skills" category, but I have seen growth in the requirement of or preference for employees that are bilingual (English and Spanish).
How have salaries changed over time for Legal Technicians?
Vanessa Johnson: Generally, I think that human resources salaries mirror the broader market, varying based on location, industry, and specialization. The growth in pay is lower in industries that have been hit hard by the pandemic. However, I think the move to more remote work will result in increased demand for, and therefore the salaries of, compensation specialists. Companies will probably adjust their pay strategies and practices to respond to these changes.
What's a good job out of college for Legal Technicians?
Nancy Hogan Ph.D.: In our field, policing, probation, jail or prison correctional officer, or social services (whether private or public) are very good jobs, particularly if they are state employed or federally employed.
Peter Towne
Assistant Director of Career Services and Pro Bono CoordinatorNew England Law | Boston
Career Services Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Legal Technician job market given the pandemic?
Peter Towne: The legal world has been fortunate in not being hit as hard by the pandemic as other sectors of the economy. As with others though, we've seen a big shift towards remote work and increased flexibility in the workplace location. Thankfully, even now with many courthouses shifting to remote hearings and appearances for the time being, the past year has proven that most legal work can be done in a remote capacity and so there are still jobs and opportunity to be had. A silver lining here as well is that anything that was litigation based and had significant slowdowns due to the initial shutdown, will still likely see consistent work increases moving forward due to the now mounting backlog in the court system that will keep litigators busy for years to come.
Also, we are likely to see other upward shifts in legal work similar to other economic down turns, as there tends to be an uptick in the kinds of legal work that helps sort out the challenges faced when things go poorly. In other words, any areas where there are widespread economic challenges, the fallout tends to create legal work. For example, we'll likely see increases in bankruptcy filings, mortgage/foreclosure related litigation, evictions/housing disputes, issues around unemployment benefits, and general consumer protection actions related to consumer debt and predatory lending practices. Interestingly, despite the challenges of the pandemic, another area that has seen consistent work is real estate, resulting from the positive impact of lower borrowing costs, and perhaps some urban flight. There also is likely to be a continued uptick in divorce filings and family law related disputes.
Long term there will inevitably be other unique or novel challenges that crop up that attorneys will be called in to assist with as a result of the current crisis. Some of these may be related to contract disputes in the entertainment industry or event planning, as well as possible changes in the insurance landscape relating to business interruption insurance, workers compensation coverage, or health insurance issues.
Jason Cieslik
Assistant Professor & Academic Advisor of Legal StudiesIllinois State University
Department of Politics & Government
What skills stand out on Legal Technician resumes?
Jason Cieslik: Proofread, proofread, proofread! This is one absolute that the pandemic has not changed. The legal profession places a high value on written communication. Grammatical mistakes are an easy way to guarantee that you will not receive an opportunity to interview.
Since many employers are permitting their employees to work from home, the resume should demonstrate the ability to be a self-starter, ability to resolve a problem on their own, and computer literacy. Legal professionals that have training in specific legal technology platforms should make sure they emphasize those skills on their resume. Most ABA Approved Paralegal Programs require their students to take a course in legal technology. These skills should be emphasized, especially if they are going to be expected to work from home. On the flip side, employers should be as specific as possible in their job advertisements as to what qualities and skills they are seeking in a future employee.
When applying for any legal position, the applicant should modify their resume to the job that they are applying for, emphasizing the skills and qualities that the employer is seeking. Obviously, no applicant should stretch the truth, because those "facts" will eventually become exposed. Thus, if an applicant were applying for a position as a litigation paralegal, the applicant should emphasize the discovery experience they obtained during their internship, as opposed to their familiarity with probate law.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Legal Technicians to find work opportunities?
Jason Cieslik: The old saying in the legal profession used to be that 80% of the available legal jobs are not posted. Attorneys communicated their need to hire a legal professional by word of mouth and in-person interaction at social legal functions. It's not certain that this old adage holds true today. Attorneys may be utilizing more traditional methods of posting job opportunities.
Jobs are available, but certain legal specialties may be thriving more than others. However, this cyclical trend tends to hold true regardless of whether the country is experiencing a pandemic or not. Rather than focusing on the specific location of where jobs are located around the country, it appears that legal professionals seeking employment should focus on areas of law that have work and need employees to complete that work. The great aspect of the legal profession is that attorneys and paralegals have always been more than willing to assist one another. Employment is no different. Legal professionals seeking work need to start making as many connections as possible with other legal professionals by phone, email, and other socially distant forms of communication to establish a network.
Eric Sader
Lecturer, Kelley School of BusinessIndiana University Bloomington
Department of Business Law & Ethics
What type of skills will young Legal Technicians 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.
Chad Smith
Director of Legal ProgramsCatholic University of America
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Legal Technicians to find work opportunities?
Chad Smith: Yes. The paralegal job market is growing. Specifically, the DC/DMV area is in the top 5 of the country for salary and is the largest paralegal market in the U.S. This is because we have an increased demand for paralegals as we have private firms, federal, state, and local governments. Additionally, there is a major trend in the legal industry with private firms moving to have fewer attorneys and more paralegals. Thus, increasing the demand for competent paralegals.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Legal Technician 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.
What type of skills will young Legal Technicians need?
Richard Meltz: For global affairs careers, many skill sets are sought. Language skills are valuable. All job seekers need basic computer skills. Word processing, spreadsheet and data analysis, excellent writing and communication skills are sought. Aside from these basic skills, the range of skills employers seek becomes more specialized. Computer mapping skills and the ability to analyze political, economic, social, and environmental issues with depth are sought. By numbers of jobs, the private sector is larger than the government sector. The understanding of how business and international trade works is useful.
Frank Alcock Ph.D.
Director of Academic Initiatives and Special Projects, Professor of Political Science and Environmental StudiesNew College of Florida
Political Science Department
What Legal Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Frank Alcock Ph.D.: Cultivating experience might be as important to skills development for gap-year graduates. Anything that involves self-reflection, leadership, project management, teamwork, and/or collaborative working environments can be important for bolstering future employment prospects. With respect to skills development, familiarity with software and IT platforms can be increased during a gap year. Language skills can be further developed. Career networking is also increasingly important relative to qualifications on paper, so a gap year can provide the space to expand personal and professional networks.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Legal Technician job market given the pandemic?
Andrea Schneider: In terms of dispute resolution, the demand for online dispute resolution (ODR), particularly mediation, will only be increasing. The trend towards ODR has been accelerated by the pandemic, and many are realizing the significant advantages to resolving disputes through online platforms, particularly those related to being able to convene people from all over the world at one time with no travel costs. Students who have comfort with online work should be in high demand. In addition, those students who want to go into system design - supporting courts or institutions who are structuring these online platforms - will also be able to look for jobs that meet this increased need.