The average salary for a Paralegal or Legal Assistant is $49,713. Paralegals and legal assistants are both non-qualified roles in law firms and, confusingly, the terms are often used interchangeably. Let’s compare paralegals and legal assistants to clarify the differences between the two. CAREER VIDEO showcasing the job of someone working as a PARALEGAL or LEGAL ASSISTANT. Paralegal Vs. Legal Assistant. “Once placed with a firm, both paralegals and legal secretaries have long tenures with the firm they’re at,” says DeLuca. So it’s easy to get a little confused about certifications and degrees in legal studies and paralegal studies and which does what. However, some attorneys consider only assistants who have a degree to be a paralegal. Occasionally, they may travel to gather information, collect and review documents, accompany … Rasmussen College does not guarantee, approve, control, or specifically endorse the information or products available on websites linked to, and is not endorsed by website owners, authors and/or organizations referenced. Depending on the area in which they choose to work, their duties will vary. However, lawyers collaborate with a team of specialized professionals, including paralegals and legal assistants, who assist in various capacities. There are several rewarding careers in law for those who don’t want to be lawyers. Paralegals can be thought of as lawyer’s assistants; they do everything from conducting research on laws and cases to drafting legal documents and compiling evidence to be used in court. Because of their extensive work on cases, paralegals are able to bill clients for their work, whereas legal assistants cannot. Legal Assistant vs. Paralegal If your title is Legal Assistant as oppose to paralegal, and you have done considerable, substantive paralegal work, what should you put on your resume. Surveys of the paralegal industry have revealed an overwhelming preference by paralegals for this title over that of “legal assistant.”. A legal assistant is a legal secretary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, legal secretaries report a median annual wage of $44,180. In fact, the terms are defined as meaning the same thing in court rules, statutes, ethical opinions, bar association guidelines and similar documents.Both legal assistants and paralegals help attorneys conduct legal research, draft contracts and business agreements, conduct investigations, and prepare for trial. Once interns gain experience, the law field is easier to navigate. Additionally, some employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a two-year associate's degree or who have completed a certificate program. The legal assistant's work is more administrative. I'm looking for new job, and am on a fence to put my official title of Legal Assistant, considering that it has ambigous meaning in D.C. area. Some typical responsibilities of a paralegal include: Some paralegals work as independent contractors and are hired to individuals or law firms to perform paralegal work for cases. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. A career in law can be extremely rewarding for the right person, but with several career options available, it’s important to understand which position you’d enjoy most. Some paralegal work is mindless, tedious, and routine, especially at the entry level. Sure, in some firms, the paralegal is also the legal assistant; but the legal assistant, unless already a paralegal, can’t be both. In addition, paralegals are able to specialize in certain areas such as criminal law, family law, real estate law and immigration law. Many schools offer paralegal programs, which are four-year bachelor’s degree programs, in which a person will learn most of the legal basics. We often think of lawyers as the most common professionals in the legal field. The vast majority of paralegals have at least a college degree. Paralegals are lawyers’ assistants, while legal assistants are lawyers’ secretaries. They help lawyers get ready for trial by writing reports, demonstrating exhibits and filing appeals with the opposing counsel. In comparison, the 2016 median annual wage for paralegals was $49,500.3 This salary can increase depending on the employer—for example, paralegals who work in corporate settings can expect to make more than those who work for non-profits that may have limited resources. Part of what drove the ABA to update its definition is because the responsibilities and qualifications for legal assistants vs. paralegals are often similar. Because paralegals must complete more education to qualify for their roles, they tend to earn more. There are great jobs, and there are bad jobs, but most positions fall somewhere in between. Paralegals offer technical support for lawyers and often are asked to help with a variety of client-related tasks. Therefore, even though the title is RN/Paralegal (another term for Nurse Paralegal), the responsibilities are appropriate for a legal nurse consultant. You love the law—every night you’re glued to the TV watching re-runs of Law & Order, soaking up all the courtroom scenes and admiring the prosecutors. A paralegal and a clerk are basically the same, although in bigger firms it specifically refers to a person acting as basically a paralegal for a seasonal period and in smaller firms it refers to the law student who does some paralegal work but mostly runs up documents to the court registries and copies subpoena packets. 09.28.2020, Ashley Brooks |
Both roles provide support for lawyers with preparing cases and general administrative work. However, most individuals either don’t know or realize that there are two choices for legal support but they are not the two obvious choices. Easily apply to jobs with an Indeed Resume, Active Listening Skills: Definition and Examples, Conducting interviews with the client and maintaining contact with them, Conducting investigations and performing legal research, Drafting documents, pleadings and correspondence, Attending legal proceedings like depositions, administrative hearings and trials with the lawyer, Summarizing testimony, depositions and interrogatories, Creating and signing correspondence where it's clearly indicated that it was created by the paralegal and doesn't contain legal advice or independent legal opinions, Drafting and proofreading legal documents and correspondence, Managing client billing by preparing and sending out bills to and also resolving billing issues, Collecting and organizing evidence and legal documents for the lawyer to review, communicating with witnesses and clients to schedule interviews, depositions and meetings, Organizing and maintaining documents in filing systems, both paper and electronic, Offering general administrative support, such as making travel arrangements for the lawyer and maintaining their calendar, Paralegal vs. Legal Assistant: Here's What You Need to Know. The difference between a paralegal and a legal document assistant can be confusing. By comparison to a paralegal, a legal assistant is not able to participate in the litigation process or bill the client for their work. A legal assistant is a professional who's responsible for performing administrative and customer service duties within a law office. Legal assistants help with administrative and customer service tasks like: Both paralegals and legal assistants are heavily involved in the process of preparing a case to go to trial. A staff member of a law office or firm, usually performing certain clerical tasks without any training as a paralegal, but… This piece of ad content was created by Rasmussen College to support its educational programs. Read more: Learn About Being a Legal Assistant. 05.25.2020. If you are interested in working in the legal industry but do not want to be a lawyer, you could consider working as a paralegal or a legal assistant. Legal Administrative Assistant a.k.a. Another major difference between paralegals and legal assistants is the type of contact they have with clients. Their specific responsibilities can vary depending on the area of the law in which they work. This data does not represent starting salaries and employment conditions in your area may vary. © 2021 Rasmussen College, LLC. In private law offices, a paralegal’s work is charged to the client just as a lawyer’s time would be. Connect with Rasmussen College on Facebook, Connect with Rasmussen College on Instagram, Connect with Rasmussen College on LinkedIn, Connect with Rasmussen College on Pinterest, Connect with Rasmussen College on Twitter, Connect with Rasmussen College on Youtube, Human Resources and Organizational Leadership, Information Technology Project Management, What I Wish I Knew BEFORE Becoming a Paralegal, What Does a Paralegal Do? It is debatable but the Paralegal education is more … Paralegal vs. Legal Studies: Know the Key Differences. Also referred to as: Paralegal , Experienced, Paralegal / Legal Assistant II Requirements and Responsibilities. This type of program aims to educate students on the principal points of a paralegal, such as complaint drafts, responses, and motions. A paralegal is a legal professional who is retained by a law office, lawyer or government agency and who performs legal work for which the lawyer they work for is responsible. Legal assistants are often interchangeably called legal secretaries. The Department of Labor proposed to update and revise the FLSA \"white collar\" exemptions because \"suggested changes to the part 541 regulations have been the subject of public commentary for years, including a review of the regulations by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) in 1999. There is some overlap in skills between legal assistants and paralegals. 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