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Paralegal secretary vs executive legal assistant

The differences between paralegal secretaries and executive 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 secretary and an executive legal assistant. Additionally, an executive legal assistant has an average salary of $53,442, which is higher than the $50,901 average annual salary of a paralegal secretary.

The top three skills for a paralegal secretary include legal correspondence, legal pleadings and litigation. The most important skills for an executive legal assistant are powerpoint, expense reports, and litigation.

Paralegal secretary vs executive legal assistant overview

Paralegal SecretaryExecutive Legal Assistant
Yearly salary$50,901$53,442
Hourly rate$24.47$25.69
Growth rate14%14%
Number of jobs10,94872,148
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age4646
Years of experience1212

Paralegal secretary vs executive legal assistant salary

Paralegal secretaries and executive legal assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Paralegal SecretaryExecutive Legal Assistant
Average salary$50,901$53,442
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $73,000Between $37,000 And $75,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-PayPal
Best paying industry-Telecommunication

Differences between paralegal secretary and executive legal assistant education

There are a few differences between a paralegal secretary and an executive legal assistant in terms of educational background:

Paralegal SecretaryExecutive Legal Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common majorLegal Support ServicesBusiness
Most common collegeTexas Wesleyan UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Paralegal secretary vs executive legal assistant demographics

Here are the differences between paralegal secretaries' and executive legal assistants' demographics:

Paralegal SecretaryExecutive Legal Assistant
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 6.0% Female, 94.0%Male, 8.7% Female, 91.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 5.9% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 5.4% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between paralegal secretary and executive legal assistant duties and responsibilities

Paralegal secretary example responsibilities.

  • Perform administrative tasks for managing partner and trial attorney at a medical malpractice litigation firm including daily transcription and stenography.
  • Draft interrogatories and production of documents, and responding to request of the same in family law proceedings.
  • Draft legal documents including but not limit to estate planning, probate, quitclaim, personal representatives, and warranty deeds.
  • Draft legal documents including correspondence, pleadings, interrogatories.
  • Direct and coordinate delivery of subpoenas for medical records and witnesses.
  • Handle multiple case management responsibilities through entire litigation cycle for busy practice groups.
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Executive legal assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage transactions involving the sale or purchase of publicly trade securities, both equity and debt instruments.
  • Manage litigation discovery process, including coordinating electronic and tangible document production, as well as litigation record hold obligations.
  • Provide administrative support to attorneys with mergers and acquisitions and due diligence procedures.
  • Prepare legal documents, assist clients with their legal needs, notary, general office duties
  • Complete & record minutes of meetings, using a variety of shorthand, or machine transcription.
  • Provide notary assistance as requested.
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Paralegal secretary vs executive legal assistant skills

Common paralegal secretary skills
  • Legal Correspondence, 12%
  • Legal Pleadings, 9%
  • Litigation, 9%
  • Real Estate, 8%
  • Discovery Responses, 7%
  • Legal Research, 5%
Common executive legal assistant skills
  • PowerPoint, 11%
  • Expense Reports, 9%
  • Litigation, 9%
  • Law Firm, 7%
  • Real Estate, 5%
  • Calendar Management, 4%