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Paralegal internship vs litigation legal assistant

The differences between paralegal interns 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 paralegal internship and a litigation legal assistant. Additionally, a paralegal internship has an average salary of $52,476, which is higher than the $51,253 average annual salary of a litigation legal assistant.

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

Paralegal internship vs litigation legal assistant overview

Paralegal InternshipLitigation Legal Assistant
Yearly salary$52,476$51,253
Hourly rate$25.23$24.64
Growth rate14%14%
Number of jobs54,4089,152
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
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 litigation legal assistant do?

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.

Paralegal internship vs litigation legal assistant salary

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

Paralegal InternshipLitigation Legal Assistant
Average salary$52,476$51,253
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $85,000Between $35,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Earthjustice
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between paralegal internship and litigation legal assistant education

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

Paralegal InternshipLitigation Legal Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common majorLegal Support ServicesLegal Support Services
Most common collegeWinona State UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Paralegal internship vs litigation legal assistant demographics

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

Paralegal InternshipLitigation Legal Assistant
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 24.0% Female, 76.0%Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0%
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, 8.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between paralegal internship and litigation legal assistant 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.
  • Show more

Litigation legal assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage and coordinate various aspects of major pharmaceutical litigation including budgeting, work scope plans, staffing and defense coordination.
  • Prepare and review all discovery materials, including depositions, subpoenas, interrogatories, interviews.
  • Prepare PowerPoint presentations for visual aids at trial and for inhouse presentations.
  • Review and respond to interrogatories and discovery.
  • Prepare answers to and draft interrogatories and document requests.
  • Prepare defensive pleadings, motions and affidavits including discovery.
  • Show more

Paralegal internship vs litigation legal assistant skills

Common paralegal internship skills
  • Legal Research, 21%
  • Legal Correspondence, 10%
  • Trial Preparation, 7%
  • Subpoenas, 4%
  • Real Estate, 4%
  • Law Firm, 4%
Common litigation legal assistant skills
  • Litigation, 23%
  • Law Firm, 9%
  • Trial Preparation, 6%
  • Legal Research, 4%
  • Travel Arrangements, 4%
  • Subpoenas, 4%