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Job outlook for senior legal assistants in the United States
Senior legal assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior legal assistant job growth rate is 14% from 2018-2028.
About 49,900 new jobs for senior legal assistants are projected over the next decade.
Senior legal assistant salaries have increased 7% for senior legal assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 171,304 senior legal assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 9,152 active senior legal assistant job openings in the US.
The average senior legal assistant salary is $51,102.
Are senior legal assistant jobs in demand?
Senior legal assistant job and salary trends over time
Senior legal assistant jobs over time
Senior legal assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 171,304 | 0.05% |
| 2020 | 169,622 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 168,305 | 0.05% |
| 2018 | 158,437 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 148,773 | 0.05% |
Average senior legal assistant salary over time
Senior legal assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,102 | $24.57 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $49,963 | $24.02 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $49,190 | $23.65 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $48,678 | $23.40 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $47,800 | $22.98 | +1.4% |
Senior legal assistant jobs by state
Most common states for senior legal assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 167 | 24% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 21 | 3% |
| 3 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 373 | 2% |
| 4 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 167 | 2% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 150 | 2% |
| 6 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 122 | 2% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 111 | 2% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 95 | 2% |
| 9 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 33 | 2% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 17 | 2% |
| 11 | Alaska | 739,795 | 16 | 2% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 9 | 2% |
| 13 | California | 39,536,653 | 572 | 1% |
| 14 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 261 | 1% |
| 15 | New York | 19,849,399 | 243 | 1% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 108 | 1% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 102 | 1% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 29 | 1% |
| 19 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 20 | 1% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 14 | 1% |
Most common cities for senior legal assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Irving | 2 | 1% | $50,570 |
| 2 | Tallahassee | 2 | 1% | $41,124 |
| 3 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $58,445 |
| 4 | Austin | 1 | 0% | $51,879 |
| 5 | Dallas | 1 | 0% | $50,555 |
| 6 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $36,117 |
| 7 | New York | 1 | 0% | $54,047 |
| 8 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $56,355 |
| 9 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $63,761 |
| 10 | Seattle | 1 | 0% | $56,209 |
Senior Legal Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior legal assistant experts
Texas Tech University
Southern Illinois University
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Illinois State University
University of Maryland - Baltimore County
Indiana University Bloomington
Catholic University of America
Stonehill College
University of Baltimore
Saint Augustine's University
Marquette University
What's a good job out of college for Senior Legal Assistants?
Paula Smith: The first professional legal job out of law school covers every area of law and every geography. Every legal job provides opportunity for growth and experience in the profession. Students choose law firms, government agencies, and public interest jobs according to their interest and passion. Some graduates work in civil litigation, others work in criminal prosecution or criminal defense. Some choose a more client-centered practice area including family law, personal injury, or legal aid services.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Legal Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Jennifer Brobst: Legal job growth often follows political conflict and calls for reform. In this respect, I think there will be an array of health law positions addressing the health insurance market, in both private practice and as counsel for insurance companies or for state and federal government agencies. We also continue to see the fallout from the 2008 economic crisis, where wages for all but the highest earners never seemed to recover, only to be exacerbated by the pandemic and resulting job losses.
This current administration will probably try to address this disparity by increasing government agency middle income positions in housing, employment, and education. Lawyers will be needed to fill those new agency positions and if grant funding increases to nonprofits, then starter positions in legal advocacy nonprofits will be interesting, but lower-paid jobs for new attorneys, particularly for the reform-minded Millennials and Gen Z cadre. The international global market is more important than ever and attorneys able to be mobile may find more opportunities in the larger firms and as corporate counsel if, and when, the pandemic shutdowns finally disappear. An interesting area of increasing need will be in the medical-legal and public health fields, where an Executive Order from President Biden has already put in place a new COVID-19 board to coordinate federal public health efforts and the creation of a national public health surveillance database. Privacy attorneys and those advocating for and against expansion of traditionally local public health law into a federal oversight approach will be needed. I also think that job opportunities will continue to grow for attorneys working for the online legal technology companies like LegalZoom, as cross-jurisdictional practice relaxes, as seen in some of the reform of the Rules of Professional Conduct and related ethics opinions.
Traditional job opportunities in small and medium-sized regional firms engaged, for example, in family law, small business law, and trusts and estates, may be fewer for awhile, as middle-class clients may not be able to afford legal services until their own employment situations recover. Positions in the criminal justice legal fields are more difficult to predict. Crime rates have been declining for decades, but movements against mass incarceration and racial injustice may support better resources for public defender offices that are cash-strapped and under-staffed.
What soft skills should all Senior Legal Assistants possess?
Jennifer Brobst: Two soft skills come to mind immediately: kindness and self-restraint. I have noticed that this generation of new attorneys is less accustomed to taking conflict in stride. What I mean is that in a social media world, one can overreact without facing the other person or simply walk away without responding to a text or post that seems confrontational or disrespectful. In person, there is usually no way to walk away without making the situation worse, so we get better and better at figuring out how to respond with kindness, humor, and patience. That is an excellent skill to have with clients who naturally feel stressed, or with overworked or overzealous opposing counsel or judges.
As to self-restraint, many ethics violations occur among attorneys who feel overwhelmed by their workload. Law school is the best place to learn how to figure out how to manage one's time, and to learn self-restraint -- i.e., when to stop and move on to the next task. This quality of self-restraint will not only help to make sure that new attorneys are reliable on behalf of their clients, but that they are happy with their job for the long-haul. There will always be more clients, but an attorney who knows their limits, but still gets the job done, will be glad to be an attorney throughout their career.
Jason Cieslik
Assistant Professor & Academic Advisor of Legal StudiesIllinois State University
Department of Politics & Government
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Legal Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Jason Cieslik: In terms of trends in specific areas of law, it is expected that the legal field will see an increase in workload in labor and employment, family law, healthcare, bankruptcy, and estate planning. Some general practitioners have been able to sustain a healthy workload where there has been a decrease in one area of law, but an increase in others due to the pandemic, such as family law and bankruptcy.
Since the pandemic began, we are seeing firms realize that much of the workload can be conducted remotely. Thus, firms are downsizing their workspaces and opting for smaller offices. This has allowed some firms to save money on physical space and hire additional personnel. However, some firms are asking their employees to work from the office, at least some days during the week. This requires some legal navigation with employee's health and safety concerns. Thus, management must have a social distancing policy in place, as well as taking into account privacy concerns of each employee.
Obviously, hiring practices have changed dramatically since the pandemic. Traditionally, interviews would take place in-person. However, most interviews are taking place via Zoom or some other interactive online format. Both firms and those seeking jobs in the legal field have had to adjust their advertising and job search methods due to the pandemic. In-person networking is not feasible. Thus, paralegals and attorneys seeking work have been advised to join professional organizations that meet online for the purpose of networking and sharing information. Jobs are available, but employers and future employees need to be creative and adjust to this alternative format of networking. Those seeking work need to be flexible, diligent in their search, and aggressive in following up with leads.
What skills stand out on Senior Legal Assistant resumes?
Jason Cieslik: Proofread, proofread, proofread! This is one absolute that the pandemic has not changed. The legal profession places a high value on written communication. Grammatical mistakes are an easy way to guarantee that you will not receive an opportunity to interview.
Since many employers are permitting their employees to work from home, the resume should demonstrate the ability to be a self-starter, ability to resolve a problem on their own, and computer literacy. Legal professionals that have training in specific legal technology platforms should make sure they emphasize those skills on their resume. Most ABA Approved Paralegal Programs require their students to take a course in legal technology. These skills should be emphasized, especially if they are going to be expected to work from home. On the flip side, employers should be as specific as possible in their job advertisements as to what qualities and skills they are seeking in a future employee.
When applying for any legal position, the applicant should modify their resume to the job that they are applying for, emphasizing the skills and qualities that the employer is seeking. Obviously, no applicant should stretch the truth, because those "facts" will eventually become exposed. Thus, if an applicant were applying for a position as a litigation paralegal, the applicant should emphasize the discovery experience they obtained during their internship, as opposed to their familiarity with probate law.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Legal Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Amy Froide Ph.D.: Ability to work remotely, ability to master changing technology and digital formats; ability to work independently without much direct supervision, ability to communicate in writing since we are geographically dispersed.
History majors are poised for these changes because we emphasize independent and project research; digital literacy, and writing and communication skills.
Eric Sader
Lecturer, Kelley School of BusinessIndiana University Bloomington
Department of Business Law & Ethics
What type of skills will young Senior Legal Assistants need?
Eric Sader: The emphasis on high-level interpersonal skills is expected to continue. More than ever, graduates need to expect the unexpected in a turbulent and changing world. Those employees who best have exemplified leadership, active listening, patience, flexibility, and responsibility during recent months are assuredly ones management will look to for future promotions and advancement opportunities. Absolutely, technology is more important than ever, but what is it about personalities that we often see as "tech-savvy"? Sure, it helps to have grown up in the Internet age, but more broadly these personalities are often those who crave learning and new experiences, who are willing and eager to adapt to new modalities. And these traits are not limited to students of any age, with rewards far beyond the keyboard.
Chad Smith
Director of Legal ProgramsCatholic University of America
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Legal Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Chad Smith: I would have to say the biggest trend is clearly working from home or more specifically telecommuting. As we are all well aware much of the country is now turned to working from home and this has led to a significant increase in the use of video conferencing via platforms such as Zoom and the greater use of Cloud Services (Google Drive, One Drive, etc.) to share/access documents. In turn, this is leveraging everyone's computer skills and it is more important than ever to be tech-savvy and even have the ability to troubleshoot your technology issues.
The second biggest trend is an emphasis on communication. As mentioned, we are more digital than ever so it is imperative paralegals have good verbal and written communication skills. These skills need to be multifaceted and adaptable to the need/situation (i.e., email, legal pleading, client letter, Zoom/virtual meetings, etc.)
What skills stand out on Senior Legal Assistant resumes?
Chad Smith: For paralegal's skills that stand out particularly in the current market:
-Experience with technology, online platforms, digital/online research (Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law)
-Telework/telecommuting, e-discovery and cloud computing/services, document creation and formatting
-Communication/writing skills and specifically the ability to understand the law and communicate legal matters effectively for court, layman clients, and attorneys
-The ability to write effective legal documents that are clear, concise, and complete
-Organization, efficiency, time management, and case management
I definitely emphasize the requirement of computer skills, as personally, I would not hire any paralegal who is not very competent and comfortable working digitally. Additionally, case management and the ability to juggle many cases at a time is extremely important. It definitely stands out when a paralegal has experience managing a large caseload and can produce quality legal pleadings in a very efficient manner.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Legal Assistants to find work opportunities?
Chad Smith: Yes. The paralegal job market is growing. Specifically, the DC/DMV area is in the top 5 of the country for salary and is the largest paralegal market in the U.S. This is because we have an increased demand for paralegals as we have private firms, federal, state, and local governments. Additionally, there is a major trend in the legal industry with private firms moving to have fewer attorneys and more paralegals. Thus, increasing the demand for competent paralegals.
Dr. Karen Teoh
Associate Professor of History and Director of Asian StudiesStonehill College
Department of History
What Senior Legal Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Karen Teoh: I would encourage graduates to keep honing their skills in professional communication, global awareness, and emotional maturity/independence. One way to do this is to broaden your horizons as much as possible, using your own initiative. Whether you work, intern, study, travel, or some combination, aim to learn as much as you can about the people and environment in which you are immersed. The more you know about the world around you, whether it ranges as far as one zip code or one continent away, the more you will be able to see things from a variety of perspectives and get a sense of how interconnected our global society is today. Talk to different people; be curious about their work, interests, and viewpoints. Take advantage of your institution's alumni network to request informational interviews. Even as a graduate, you can usually still use your career counseling office's services to get feedback on writing cover letters or speaking well in interviews and presentations.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Legal Assistants to find work opportunities?
Roger Hartley Ph.D.: The work shortage and the need for federal, local, and state government are high all over the nation. The concern now is if budget pressures delay the ability to hire.
Patrick Webb Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorSaint Augustine's University
Department of Criminal Justice
What Senior Legal Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Patrick Webb Ph.D.: Given the influence and efficacy of data analysis and the use of data in decision-making, I would encourage students to receive additional instruction in the area of data analytics and interpretation. This includes enrolling in courses or receiving one-on-one instruction (i.e., tutoring) in the subject area of statistics and/or research methods. In addition, given the impact of global catastrophic events, I would also encourage students to receive instruction within the disciplines of sociology, social psychology, and developmental psychology.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Legal Assistant?
Patrick Webb Ph.D.: The advice I offer to individuals (regardless of their status) is to 1) assume individual responsibility as a professional within the workplace environment, 2) continue to further your knowledgebase by developing the habit of reading (this includes topics centered around professional and personal growth), 3) commit to becoming an advocate for the truth, especially in the lives of those who are less fortunate than you are, and 4) prioritize relationships over resources.
What Senior Legal Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Andrea Schneider: Law school graduates should focus on developing client interaction skills and dispute resolution skills, including active listening, understanding emotional intelligence, and non-defensive communication. The need for low-cost legal assistance, particularly in large urban areas, in foreclosure, eviction, unemployment, and bankruptcy will be significant. Volunteers with legal training will be needed to address unprecedented impacts on individuals in many areas of the law. They could also work on the software or technological skills that law school may not have provided but which will make them even more attractive to employers after the pandemic.