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The differences between legal transcriptionists and legal clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a legal transcriptionist and a legal clerk. Additionally, a legal transcriptionist has an average salary of $48,622, which is higher than the $35,152 average annual salary of a legal clerk.
The top three skills for a legal transcriptionist include transcription, legal terminology and dictation. The most important skills for a legal clerk are litigation, legal correspondence, and subpoenas.
| Legal Transcriptionist | Legal Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $48,622 | $35,152 |
| Hourly rate | $23.38 | $16.90 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 6,047 | 74,069 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A legal transcriptionist produces written transcriptions of audio recordings from various legal conversions such as consultations, interviews, and court proceedings. It is their responsibility to deliver accurate transcriptions, from dialogues to gestures and diction. To carry out their duties, they must maintain an active communication line with the employer, keep an eye out for errors and inconsistencies, and organize files accordingly. Moreover, a legal transcriptionist may directly work at government offices and legal firms. They can also work as independent contractors, typically working from home.
A legal clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to legal offices and organizations to ensure smooth legal business operations. Legal clerks sort and distribute documents to the appropriate personnel, update information on the database, schedule appointments, respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, and document meeting objectives. They may also coordinate with other offices and institutions to acquire files and research data according to the needs of the managing department. A legal clerk must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in monitoring business transactions and submitting reports timely and accurately.
Legal transcriptionists and legal clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Legal Transcriptionist | Legal Clerk | |
| Average salary | $48,622 | $35,152 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $65,000 | Between $24,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | New York |
| Best paying company | - | Diodes Incorporated |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a legal transcriptionist and a legal clerk in terms of educational background:
| Legal Transcriptionist | Legal Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Law |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between legal transcriptionists' and legal clerks' demographics:
| Legal Transcriptionist | Legal Clerk | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 6.5% Female, 93.5% | Male, 39.9% Female, 60.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 6.0% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |