What is a litigation paralegal and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Emily Allen-Hornblower

A litigation paralegal assists lawyers with trial preparation and other legal proceedings. These professionals work in law firms, corporations, and government agencies. Litigation paralegals may draft legal documents, conduct research, organize case files, interview witnesses, and communicate with clients. They may also assist in the courtroom by managing exhibits, taking notes, and preparing witnesses. A successful litigation paralegal must have excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and a thorough understanding of legal procedures and terminology.

What general advice would you give to a litigation paralegal?

Emily Allen-Hornblower

Associate Professor of Classics, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

"I would say, think broadly. Your CV gives you an edge - you chose a course of study that is somewhat atypical, original (and a great conversation starter!) that gave you widely applicable skills.

I mean, who studies Classics? Who willingly subjects themselves to the rigors of Latin or Greek - or both? Who commits to navigating the intricacies of an interdisciplinary path that combines some of the most vital areas of inquiry for our time: social and cultural history, political science, philosophy, psychology, literary studies, material culture?

A go-getter. Someone who is passionate. And is Driven.

And you know what? Employers know that. They see that on your CV, and they think, wow - here is someone interesting and hard-working and who thinks out of the box. And they are right. Xerox saw that. Macy's saw that. The Air Force Intelligence Officer who hired one of our (female!) undergraduates as an officer saw that. The software engineer who hired another one of our grads to join his team as a full-time software engineer saw that. Oxford University Press in New York City saw that - and hired another recent grad as a full-time intern in their Higher Education Editorial Development department. SO: Classics majors, think big and broad. There is no restricted path for what is next.

So - Graduating seniors in Classics (and other Liberal Arts degrees), as you prepare to go forward into the world, you have good reason to go forth with pride, and enter the world after college, with all its question marks and inevitable bumps in the road, with confidence.
A Classics major is excellent preparation for the pursuit of a wide range of careers in a large number of fields, including, but not limited to, government, law, education, business, journalism, library science, publishing, foreign service, finance, the entertainment industry, museum, and preservation work, pharmaceutical sciences, music, and the arts, foundations, technology, web design, and labor relations. So think broadly. You've got this. "

ScoreLitigation ParalegalUS Average

Salary

4.6

Avg. Salary $58,484

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.0

Growth rate 14%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 5.75%

Black or African American 9.27%

Hispanic or Latino 20.34%

Unknown 4.83%

White 59.40%

Gender

female 75.65%

male 24.35%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

7.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a litigation paralegal?

Pros

Opportunity to develop strong research, writing, and analytical skills
Competitive salary and benefits
Satisfaction of helping clients with legal issues
Developing expertise in a particular area of law
Potential for flexible scheduling

Cons

High stress environment with tight deadlines and heavy workloads
Long hours and overtime may be required
Limited autonomy and control over case strategy and decision-making
Dealing with difficult clients, opposing parties, and attorneys
Work may be repetitive or mundane at times

Key steps to become a litigation paralegal

Explore litigation paralegal education requirements

Most common litigation paralegal degrees

Bachelor's

57.5 %

Associate

23.4 %

Certificate

7.0 %

Start to develop specific litigation paralegal skills

Skills	Percentages
Litigation	21.88%
Law Firm	8.38%
Trial Preparation	7.33%
Legal Research	7.30%
Subpoenas	6.65%

Complete relevant litigation paralegal training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New litigation paralegals learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a litigation paralegal based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real litigation paralegal resumes.

Research litigation paralegal duties and responsibilities

Achieve sole responsibility for administration of all estates and guardianships.
Deliver PowerPoint presentations to various legal groups with regard to managing discovery.
Assist patent attorneys by managing invention disclosure documentation and relate correspondence with outside counsel and USPTO.
Organize and computer-log hundreds of litigation files, ranging from asbestos exposure to product liability cases.

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