Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between litigation paralegals and litigation 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 litigation paralegal and a litigation legal assistant. Additionally, a litigation paralegal has an average salary of $58,484, which is higher than the $51,253 average annual salary of a litigation legal assistant.
The top three skills for a litigation paralegal include litigation, law firm and trial preparation. The most important skills for a litigation legal assistant are litigation, law firm, and trial preparation.
| Litigation Paralegal | Litigation Legal Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $58,484 | $51,253 |
| Hourly rate | $28.12 | $24.64 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 5,132 | 9,152 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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 litigation legal assistant is responsible for assisting operations by organizing documents, researching court files, and scheduling appointments for client consultation. Litigation legal assistants collect case evidence, interview witnesses, and write minutes of meetings for reference. They also coordinate with other organizations to confirm information for possible trials and verify the accuracy of every data. A litigation legal assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling data management procedures under minimal supervision and strict adherence with deadlines.
Litigation paralegals and litigation legal assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Litigation Paralegal | Litigation Legal Assistant | |
| Average salary | $58,484 | $51,253 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $83,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Earthjustice | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a litigation paralegal and a litigation legal assistant in terms of educational background:
| Litigation Paralegal | Litigation Legal Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Legal Support Services | Legal Support Services |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between litigation paralegals' and litigation legal assistants' demographics:
| Litigation Paralegal | Litigation Legal Assistant | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| 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, 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% |