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The differences between litigation paralegals and criminal justice lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a litigation paralegal, becoming a criminal justice lawyer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a litigation paralegal has an average salary of $58,484, which is higher than the $49,977 average annual salary of a criminal justice lawyer.
The top three skills for a litigation paralegal include litigation, law firm and trial preparation. The most important skills for a criminal justice lawyer are criminal justice, semester, and public safety.
| Litigation Paralegal | Criminal Justice Lawyer | |
| Yearly salary | $58,484 | $49,977 |
| Hourly rate | $28.12 | $24.03 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 5,132 | 824 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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.
A criminal justice lawyer is responsible for representing clients in court with criminal charges and defends them according to legal requirements and procedures. Criminal justice lawyers analyze the case by undergoing in-depth research and investigation that would support settlement claims. They reference laws and state regulations to identify the clients' options for case resolution. A criminal justice lawyer must have extensive knowledge of the legal industry, as well as possessing excellent critical-thinking skills to strategize appeals and negotiate pleas on trials.
Litigation paralegals and criminal justice lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Litigation Paralegal | Criminal Justice Lawyer | |
| Average salary | $58,484 | $49,977 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $83,000 | Between $32,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a litigation paralegal and a criminal justice lawyer in terms of educational background:
| Litigation Paralegal | Criminal Justice Lawyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Legal Support Services | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between litigation paralegals' and criminal justice lawyers' demographics:
| Litigation Paralegal | Criminal Justice Lawyer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% | Male, 48.9% Female, 51.1% |
| 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, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 10% |