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The differences between legal transcriptionists and senior legal assistants 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 senior legal assistant. Additionally, a senior legal assistant has an average salary of $51,102, which is higher than the $48,622 average annual salary of a legal transcriptionist.
The top three skills for a legal transcriptionist include transcription, legal terminology and dictation. The most important skills for a senior legal assistant are litigation, legal research, and legal correspondence.
| Legal Transcriptionist | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $48,622 | $51,102 |
| Hourly rate | $23.38 | $24.57 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 6,047 | 9,152 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| 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.
Senior legal assistants are responsible for managing junior-level assistants. They also support lawyers with various legal tasks such as conducting legal research, drafting documents, and hearing trials. These assistants must work with attorneys and clients to review various legal documents to ensure their accuracy and completeness. They gather documents for attorneys and prepare witnesses scheduled for court hearings. Senior legal assistants must also arrange the delivery of subpoenas while preparing the required affidavit of service.
Legal transcriptionists and senior legal assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Legal Transcriptionist | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Average salary | $48,622 | $51,102 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $65,000 | Between $36,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a legal transcriptionist and a senior legal assistant in terms of educational background:
| Legal Transcriptionist | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between legal transcriptionists' and senior legal assistants' demographics:
| Legal Transcriptionist | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 6.5% Female, 93.5% | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% |
| 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% |