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Paralegal internship vs legal administrator

The differences between paralegal interns and legal administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a paralegal internship and a legal administrator. Additionally, a paralegal internship has an average salary of $52,476, which is higher than the $47,198 average annual salary of a legal administrator.

The top three skills for a paralegal internship include legal research, legal correspondence and trial preparation. The most important skills for a legal administrator are veterans, litigation, and powerpoint.

Paralegal internship vs legal administrator overview

Paralegal InternshipLegal Administrator
Yearly salary$52,476$47,198
Hourly rate$25.23$22.69
Growth rate14%14%
Number of jobs54,40856,419
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age4646
Years of experience1212

What does a paralegal internship do?

A paralegal intern is responsible for assisting the paralegal department of an organization, familiarizing with law standards and legal procedures, and applying law school knowledge on practical applications. Paralegal interns perform various administrative and clerical tasks under the supervision of tenured paralegal staff. They also assist with collecting and processing legal documents, observe court functions and procedures, respond to clients' inquiries and service requests, schedule appointments, research on court appeal cases, verify the accuracy of submitted documents, and coordinate with other law enforcement institutions.

What does a legal administrator do?

The job of legal administrative assistants is to provide support to lawyers and paralegals. They typically perform legal research, manage schedules, and draft legal-related documents. Other duties include interpreting laws, regulations, and rulings in legal documents, obtaining information from other agencies or organizations, and preparing management and legal reports. In addition, legal administrative assistants are responsible for updating and maintaining databases and ensuring to provide effective administrative assistance. They are also expected to schedule client meetings and court hearings.

Paralegal internship vs legal administrator salary

Paralegal interns and legal administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Paralegal InternshipLegal Administrator
Average salary$52,476$47,198
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $85,000Between $33,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City-Washington, DC
Highest paying state-New York
Best paying company-Ropes & Gray
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between paralegal internship and legal administrator education

There are a few differences between a paralegal internship and a legal administrator in terms of educational background:

Paralegal InternshipLegal Administrator
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common majorLegal Support ServicesBusiness
Most common collegeWinona State UniversityStanford University

Paralegal internship vs legal administrator demographics

Here are the differences between paralegal interns' and legal administrators' demographics:

Paralegal InternshipLegal Administrator
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 24.0% Female, 76.0%Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 5.7% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between paralegal internship and legal administrator duties and responsibilities

Paralegal internship example responsibilities.

  • Assist patent attorneys by managing invention disclosure documentation and relate correspondence with outside counsel and USPTO.
  • Work collaboratively drafting affidavits and interrogatories.
  • Used different computer programs such as: -HotDocs -WestLaw -LegalFiles -Microsoft: word, excel, PowerPoint, etc.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations used during conferences.
  • Work on itemizing and preparing specific inventory documents for probate files.
  • Prepare subpoenas and authorizations for obtaining documents and conduct follow-up to insure receipt of documents.
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Legal administrator example responsibilities.

  • Prepare and distribute payroll manage daily office operations and equipment and maintain supplies for office to run effectively.
  • Provide information regarding the rules and regulations of the DMV.
  • Proofread legal applications to ensure that all information have been properly submit.
  • Prepare probate and estate documents, accounting statements, and estate tax returns.
  • Determine adequacy and propriety of surety bonds to protect the assets of the beneficiary.
  • Determine a person's eligibility to possess firearms or explosives in accordance with federal law.
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Paralegal internship vs legal administrator skills

Common paralegal internship skills
  • Legal Research, 21%
  • Legal Correspondence, 10%
  • Trial Preparation, 7%
  • Subpoenas, 4%
  • Real Estate, 4%
  • Law Firm, 4%
Common legal administrator skills
  • Veterans, 10%
  • Litigation, 10%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Law Firm, 5%
  • Legal Research, 5%
  • Management System, 4%