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The differences between litigation paralegals and senior 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 senior legal assistant. Additionally, a litigation paralegal has an average salary of $58,484, which is higher than the $51,102 average annual salary of a senior legal assistant.
The top three skills for a litigation paralegal include litigation, law firm and trial preparation. The most important skills for a senior legal assistant are litigation, legal research, and legal correspondence.
| Litigation Paralegal | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $58,484 | $51,102 |
| Hourly rate | $28.12 | $24.57 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 5,132 | 9,152 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| 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.
Senior legal assistants are responsible for managing junior-level assistants. They also support lawyers with various legal tasks such as conducting legal research, drafting documents, and hearing trials. These assistants must work with attorneys and clients to review various legal documents to ensure their accuracy and completeness. They gather documents for attorneys and prepare witnesses scheduled for court hearings. Senior legal assistants must also arrange the delivery of subpoenas while preparing the required affidavit of service.
Litigation paralegals and senior legal assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Litigation Paralegal | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Average salary | $58,484 | $51,102 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $83,000 | Between $36,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a litigation paralegal and a senior legal assistant in terms of educational background:
| Litigation Paralegal | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Legal Support Services | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between litigation paralegals' and senior legal assistants' demographics:
| Litigation Paralegal | Senior Legal Assistant | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% |
| 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% |