Litigation paralegal vs corporate paralegal

The differences between litigation paralegals and corporate paralegals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a litigation paralegal and a corporate paralegal. Additionally, a corporate paralegal has an average salary of $67,515, which is higher than the $58,484 average annual salary of a litigation paralegal.

The top three skills for a litigation paralegal include litigation, law firm and trial preparation. The most important skills for a corporate paralegal are litigation, corporate governance, and legal research.

Litigation paralegal vs corporate paralegal overview

	Litigation Paralegal	Corporate Paralegal
Yearly salary	$58,484	$67,515
Hourly rate	$28.12	$32.46
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	5,132	13,482
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	12	12

What does a litigation paralegal do?

A litigation paralegal is a specialist who is responsible for assisting attorneys throughout the trial process. On the plaintiff side, litigation paralegals conduct initial client interviews and legal research for case preparations. They assist with the preliminary examinations of witnesses and jury selection in the courtroom. Litigation paralegals often assist attorneys with case settlements and help identify issues for appeals. They must also possess excellent skills in verbal and written communication and should have great attention in detail.

What does a corporate paralegal do?

A Corporate Paralegal helps attorneys gather information and materials in preparation for different kinds of cases, hearings, or meetings. They also work in the legal departments of large corporations and for government agencies.

Litigation paralegal vs corporate paralegal salary

Litigation paralegals and corporate paralegals have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Litigation Paralegal	Corporate Paralegal
Average salary	$58,484	$67,515
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $83,000	Between $42,000 And $106,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Google	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Best paying industry	Professional	Finance

Differences between litigation paralegal and corporate paralegal education

There are a few differences between a litigation paralegal and a corporate paralegal in terms of educational background:

	Litigation Paralegal	Corporate Paralegal
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Legal Support Services	Legal Support Services
Most common college	Harvard University	University of Pennsylvania

Litigation paralegal vs corporate paralegal demographics

Here are the differences between litigation paralegals' and corporate paralegals' demographics:

	Litigation Paralegal	Corporate Paralegal
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6%	Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 5.8% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between litigation paralegal and corporate paralegal duties and responsibilities

Litigation paralegal example 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.
Assist attorneys with all aspects of litigation from preliminary motions through discovery and preparations for arbitration or trial.
Proofread and edit legal documents.

Corporate paralegal example responsibilities.

Manage a team of five to prepare over 100 UCC-1 forms to meet a 48 hour deadline.
Achieve sole responsibility for administration of all estates and guardianships.
Prepare documents such as estoppel certificates, subordination agreements and commencement agreements.
Collect and prepare information and draft answers to department litigation including informational statements, pleadings, and affidavits.
Involve in all aspects of litigation support including legal research, factual investigations, document review/management, and trial preparation.
Analyze and review of new and existing commercial lease agreements, estoppel certificates, subordination and non-disturbance agreements and lease amendments.

Litigation paralegal vs corporate paralegal skills

Common litigation paralegal skills

Litigation, 22%
Law Firm, 8%
Trial Preparation, 7%
Legal Research, 7%
Subpoenas, 7%
Discovery Responses, 5%

Common corporate paralegal skills

Litigation, 9%
Corporate Governance, 7%
Legal Research, 6%
Mergers, 5%
Securities, 5%
Excellent Organizational, 4%

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Litigation Paralegal
Litigation Paralegal vs Corporate Paralegal

Updated January 8, 2025

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