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Litigation paralegal vs legal analyst

The differences between litigation paralegals and legal analysts 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 legal analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a litigation paralegal has an average salary of $58,484, which is higher than the $57,497 average annual salary of a legal analyst.

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

Litigation paralegal vs legal analyst overview

Litigation ParalegalLegal Analyst
Yearly salary$58,484$57,497
Hourly rate$28.12$27.64
Growth rate14%10%
Number of jobs5,1326,478
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age4646
Years of experience124

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 legal analyst do?

A legal analyst is responsible for evaluating legal documents and reports to support and resolve legal matters by complying with state regulations and legislation procedures. Legal analysts compile researches to understand legal cases and coordinate with clients for in-depth counseling and executing necessary actions. They also attend court hearings and sessions to represent clients and investigate lawsuits. A legal analyst must have excellent knowledge of the law industry to examine legal contracts and assist clients with case resources.

Litigation paralegal vs legal analyst salary

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

Litigation ParalegalLegal Analyst
Average salary$58,484$57,497
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $83,000Between $33,000 And $98,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyGoogleSchiff Hardin
Best paying industryProfessionalAutomotive

Differences between litigation paralegal and legal analyst education

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

Litigation ParalegalLegal Analyst
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common majorLegal Support ServicesLaw
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityStanford University

Litigation paralegal vs legal analyst demographics

Here are the differences between litigation paralegals' and legal analysts' demographics:

Litigation ParalegalLegal Analyst
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 24.4% Female, 75.6%Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage9%10%

Differences between litigation paralegal and legal analyst 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.
  • Show more

Legal analyst example responsibilities.

  • Manage probate processes for estate, including rental arrangements and maintenance of apartments.
  • Apply previous years of relevant experience to independently manage the defense of auto and fixture relate general liability litigation.
  • Manage and provide responses to incoming subpoenas and discovery requests relating to underwriting files and policy and accounting information.
  • Create and execute test plans for troubleshooting issues during SharePoint migration.
  • Process payroll including quarterly and annual reporting.
  • Respond to third party subpoenas and implement company policy of cost recovery for addressing such subpoenas.
  • Show more

Litigation paralegal vs legal analyst skills

Common litigation paralegal skills
  • Litigation, 22%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Trial Preparation, 7%
  • Legal Research, 7%
  • Subpoenas, 7%
  • Discovery Responses, 5%
Common legal analyst skills
  • Legal Research, 15%
  • Litigation, 10%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Legal Issues, 5%
  • Due Diligence, 4%
  • Subpoenas, 4%