Legal assistants keep law firms running. They coordinate calendars, manage documents, handle client communications, and support attorneys so cases move forward smoothly. While some offices still use “legal assistant” and “paralegal” interchangeably, the modern profession treats them as distinct roles—and pay, training, and day-to-day work reflect that.

Key takeaways

• Legal assistants focus on administrative and operational support for attorneys and paralegals.
  
  

• Paralegals perform substantive legal work delegated and supervised by attorneys. The ABA removed “legal assistant” from its paralegal definition in 2020, underscoring the distinction. American Bar Association
  
  

• Lawyers provide legal advice, strategy, and representation; they supervise paralegals and legal assistants.

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What is a Legal Assistant?

A legal assistant supports a firm’s operations and client experience. Typical responsibilities include:

• Client communications (phone, email, live chat), intake coordination, and follow-ups
  
  

• Calendar & docket support (scheduling, reminders, logistics)
  
  

• Document management (organizing case files, e-filing assistance, proofreading correspondence)
  
  

• Billing support (preparing invoices, payment follow-up)
  
  

• Light research & drafting when trained and supervised by an attorney

Multiple industry sources, including Thomson Reuters and university programs, describe legal assistants as primarily administrative, while paralegals are primarily legal-task focused. Thomson Reuters Legal+2blog.pace.oregonstate.edu+2

Legal Assistant vs. Paralegal vs. Lawyer (Duties & Training)

• Legal Assistant
  
  

  • Primary focus: Administrative/operational support; may assist with simple drafts or research under attorney supervision
    
    

  • Typical education: High school diploma; some roles prefer a certificate or associate’s degree in legal studies
    
    

  • Ethics: Cannot practice law or give legal advice
    
    

• Paralegal
  
  

  • Primary focus: Substantive legal work—legal research, drafting pleadings/motions, interviewing clients/witnesses, discovery prep—always delegated by and under supervision of an attorney
    
    

  • Typical education: Certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s + paralegal education; certifications via NALA/NFPA are common
    
    

  • Standards: In 2020 the ABA revised its definition to remove “legal assistant,” clarifying that paralegal denotes the role performing substantive legal work. American Bar Association
    
    

• Lawyer
  
  

  • Primary focus: Legal advice, strategy, advocacy, negotiation, court appearances, client representation
    
    

  • Typical education: J.D., bar admission, ongoing CLE

Helpful primers on the differences: Thomson Reuters overview and local/state bar resources echo this split. Thomson Reuters Legal+1

What Do They Earn? (Latest BLS Data)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports May 2024 median pay as follows:

If you prefer weekly medians (useful for internal comp benchmarking), 2024 CPS data show:

• Paralegals & legal assistants: $1,189 weekly median
  
  

• Lawyers: $2,505 weekly median. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Important: BLS currently combines paralegals and legal assistants in one wage series. Private salary aggregators (Indeed, Payscale) sometimes publish separate figures, but for an official baseline the BLS combined category is the most defensible in reports and job posts. Bureau of Labor Statistics+1

When Should a Firm Hire a Legal Assistant vs. a Paralegal?

Choose a legal assistant when you need to:

• Improve responsiveness (calls, emails, intake coordination)
  
  

• Tighten billing and calendaring workflows
  
  

• Keep documents and deadlines organized across matters

Choose a paralegal when you need to:

• Expand substantive legal capacity (drafting, research, discovery)
  
  

• Improve throughput on case prep under attorney supervision
  
  

• Add practice-area expertise (e.g., family law, PI, immigration)

Both roles can dramatically increase attorney productivity and client satisfaction when paired with clear delegation and SOPs. Practical comparisons: TR legal-assistant vs. paralegal explainer; ABA definition update. Thomson Reuters Legal+1

Read: AI Tools for Lawyers: 15 Smart Platforms to Elevate Your Practice

Certifications & Ethics Snapshot

• Legal Assistants: Not universally certified; many complete legal-studies certificates.
  
  

• Paralegals: Certifications via NALA/NFPA are common; many employers prefer them. (Model standards and education paths summarized by NALA.) nala.org
  
  

• Ethics: Non-lawyer staff cannot give legal advice or appear as counsel. Attorneys must supervise and ensure non-lawyers’ conduct aligns with professional obligations (see ABA Model Rules 5.3; check state rules).
  
  Read: Legal Assistants vs. Paralegal

Career Outlook (Big Picture)

Legal support roles continue to evolve with tech: document automation, AI-assisted drafting, and intake tools can offload repetitive tasks—often first from legal assistants, then from paralegals—so attorneys focus on counsel, strategy, and advocacy. Clear role definitions + modern tooling = higher throughput and better client experience. Backgrounders: BLS legal occupations overview. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Read: Will AI Replace Paralegals?