What does a senior paralegal do?
A Senior Paralegal helps attorneys acquire the information needed for legal research, document preparation, and for other assignments delegated to them. They are usually specialized in certain areas of law, such as tax law.
Senior paralegal responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior paralegal resumes:
- Achieve sole responsibility for administration of all estates and guardianships.
- Respond to active litigation in collaboration with internal custodians and external counsel, including responding to discovery requests and subpoenas.
- Handle all corporate matters including annual shareholder documentation and shareholder meetings, prepare contracts and coordinate execution, and provide litigation support
- Edit and proofread initial drafts, transcribes dictation and perform cite checking, copy assembly/attachments for filing and/or mailing.
- Draft and prepare legal documents, correspondence, corporate resolutions and UCC's, together with file maintenance and organization.
- Position entail all secretarial correspondence, dictation, expense reporting, record keeping and the handling of settlement documents and payments.
- Analyze UCC information and lien priority documentation.
- Compile and summarize data into PowerPoint presentations for attorney presentation to management.
- Proofread client paperwork and organize documents for proper processing of case information.
- Maintain files, including preparing immigration application forms, and affidavits under attorney supervision.
- Prepare and execute PowerPoint presentations incorporating video clips of deposition testimony for use during trial and arbitration proceedings.
- Contact USCIS concerning problematic cases, draft correspondence/papers, process mail, and complete other assign miscellaneous tasks.
- Support treasury group with respect to maintenance of require day-to-day documentation, including secretary's and incumbency certificates.
- Respond to discovery requests, correspond with outside/inside counsel and maintain an information database and reports relative to office litigation.
- Draft medical malpractice and product liability summaries of medical records, depositions, discovery document requests, interrogatories and motions.
Senior paralegal skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Senior Paralegals are proficient in Legal Research, Litigation, and Law Firm. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Computer skills, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Senior Paralegals that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Legal Research, 13%
Conducted client interviews, document analysis, estate analysis, legal research, document management and execution of estate planning documents.
- Litigation, 13%
Worked as Senior Paralegal assisting attorneys in the preparation of pleadings, discovery and related documents in commercial and consumer litigation.
- Law Firm, 7%
Teamed with foreign law firms to successfully file and prosecute trademark applications and renew existing registrations.
- Subpoenas, 5%
Prepared deposition subpoenas and notice-to-consumer.
- PowerPoint, 4%
Prepared and executed PowerPoint presentations incorporating video clips of deposition testimony for use during trial and arbitration proceedings.
- Lexis, 3%
Researched Federal, DC, and State Codes, as well as, secondary authority using Lexis/Nexis and West Law.
"legal research," "litigation," and "law firm" are among the most common skills that senior paralegals use at work. You can find even more senior paralegal responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a senior paralegal to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "paralegals must be able to document and present their research and related information to their supervising attorney." Senior paralegals often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "provided general legal support services to attorneys and counsel including legal research and legal and business communications drafting. "
Computer skills. Another essential skill to perform senior paralegal duties is computer skills. Senior paralegals responsibilities require that "paralegals need to be familiar with using computers for legal research and litigation support." Senior paralegals also use computer skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "provide litigation support expertise and advice to attorneys and paralegal staff regarding the use of automated computer support. "
Interpersonal skills. senior paralegals are also known for interpersonal skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to senior paralegal responsibilities, because "paralegals spend most of their time working with clients and other professionals and must be able to develop good relationships." A senior paralegal resume example shows how interpersonal skills is used in the workplace: "secured interpersonal relationships with other firms/counsels to guarantee documents are executed prior to confirmed foreclosure sale dates. "
Organizational skills. senior paralegal responsibilities often require "organizational skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "paralegals may be responsible for many cases at one time." This resume example shows what senior paralegals do with organizational skills on a typical day: "maintained status reports, organizational illustration charts utilizing powerpoint and excel. "
Research skills. Another common skill required for senior paralegal responsibilities is "research skills." This skill comes up in the duties of senior paralegals all the time, as "paralegals gather facts of the case and research information on relevant laws and regulations to prepare drafts of legal documents for attorneys and help them prepare for a case." An excerpt from a real senior paralegal resume shows how this skill is central to what a senior paralegal does: "prepared dossiers in relation to litigation matters, including research and document discovery. "
The three companies that hire the most senior paralegals are:
- The Walt Disney Company28 senior paralegals jobs
- Pacific Architects and Engineers
16 senior paralegals jobs
- Wells Fargo10 senior paralegals jobs
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Compare different senior paralegals
Senior paralegal vs. Legal office assistant
A Legal Office Assistants serves as the apprentice of lawyers. They are responsible for doing daily clerical works inside a law office. They gather relevant information like pieces of evidence and organizes all the needed data. They also prepare subpoenas and summonses, review legal documents, and take down notes in a courtroom. Unlike the Lawyers, this career handles a more significant caseload. They must also have good communication skills with clients regarding their cases.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a senior paralegal are more likely to require skills like "lexis," "intellectual property," "excellent organizational," and "due diligence." On the other hand, a job as a legal office assistant requires skills like "data entry," "office equipment," "word processing," and "scheduling appointments." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Legal office assistants earn the highest salaries when working in the non profits industry, with an average yearly salary of $41,921. On the other hand, senior paralegals are paid more in the finance industry with an average salary of $69,879.The education levels that legal office assistants earn slightly differ from senior paralegals. In particular, legal office assistants are 1.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a senior paralegal. Additionally, they're 3.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior paralegal vs. Litigation assistant
Litigation assistants are professionals who provide administrative support as well as perform tasks such as filing legal documents, communicating with clients, and conducting legal research for law firms or legal departments. These assistants are required to draft and prepare a variety of court and legal documents that include expert witness designations, motions for preference, and complaints. They must receive many phone calls from clients they are handling as well as examining information about the cases they are working on. Litigation assistants must also work closely with bookkeepers to ensure that all invoices are paid.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior paralegal responsibilities requires skills like "lexis," "intellectual property," "excellent organizational," and "legal issues." But a litigation assistant might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "phone calls," "proofreading," "defense counsel," and "office equipment."
Litigation assistants may earn a lower salary than senior paralegals, but litigation assistants earn the most pay in the construction industry with an average salary of $63,516. On the other hand, senior paralegals receive higher pay in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $69,879.In general, litigation assistants achieve similar levels of education than senior paralegals. They're 2.4% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 3.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior paralegals in the next 3-5 years?
Sharon Sawyer
Program Coordinator of Justice Studies, Assistant Professor, University of Maine at Augusta
Senior paralegal vs. Attorney's assistant
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.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, senior paralegals are more likely to have skills like "lexis," "intellectual property," "excellent organizational," and "due diligence." But a attorney's assistant is more likely to have skills like "pleadings," "expense reports," "schedule appointments," and "conference calls."
When it comes to education, attorney's assistants tend to earn similar degree levels compared to senior paralegals. In fact, they're 0.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 6.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Senior paralegal vs. Legal administrator
Types of senior paralegal
Updated January 8, 2025
