Job titles in law firms overlap, and providers use them differently. Hiring the wrong level means either overpaying for admin work or getting someone out of their depth on substantive tasks. This guide separates the three roles.
The three roles
| Legal secretary | Legal assistant | Paralegal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Attorney support and document production | Client contact, scheduling, case administration | Substantive legal work under supervision |
| Typical tasks | Calendar, correspondence, formatting, filing, dictation, billing entry | Intake, client updates, document collection, case-management data, scheduling | Drafting pleadings and discovery, research support, deposition summaries, trial prep |
| Legal judgement | Low | Low–moderate | Moderate (always supervised) |
| Client-facing | Moderate | High | Moderate |
Some firms (and the BLS) group "paralegals and legal assistants" together; many small firms use "legal assistant" for the client-facing administrative role. Define the tasks, not the title.
US wage benchmarks (BLS, May 2025)
- Paralegals and legal assistants: median $62,890/year ($30.24/hour).
- Legal secretaries and administrative assistants: median $55,570/year.
- Receptionists: median $38,010/year ($18.27/hour). Add payroll taxes and benefits on top.
What remote providers charge by role
Published prices on 11 November 2026:
| Provider | Legal assistant | Paralegal | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| HireParalegals | $8 / $12–$14 / about $16 per hour by experience | same bands | Intake, receptionist, case manager |
| Virtual Legal Assistants | from $8/hour | not offered | Intake, receptionist |
| VirtualStaffing.com | $2,227/month | $2,922/month | Case manager $2,525; Remote attorney $3,323 |
| Get Staffed Up | $2,545/month | not listed | Intake $2,395; Receptionist $2,145 |
| Zirtual (US, bundles) | 10 hrs $549 to 80 hrs $3,999 | 10 hrs $649 to 80 hrs $4,729 | — |
| Legal Soft | from $10/hour (full-time) | from $10/hour | — |
How to decide
- List the tasks for the next three months.
- Mark each "admin", "client-facing" or "substantive".
- Mostly admin and client-facing? Hire a legal assistant.
- A third or more substantive drafting? Hire a paralegal, or a legal assistant now plus paralegal hours (see our sister comparison of virtual paralegal companies).
- Mostly attorney document production? A legal secretary profile, often listed as "legal assistant" by remote providers. Say so in the job description.
A common mistake
Hiring a paralegal for work that's 80% scheduling and client calls. You pay a paralegal rate for assistant work, and the paralegal gets bored and leaves. Hire to the actual task mix, and move people up as the work changes.
Our top picks
- HireParalegals — From $8/hour
- Virtual Legal Assistants — From $8/hour
- VirtualStaffing.com — From $2,227/month
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a legal assistant and a paralegal?
A legal assistant handles client contact, scheduling and case administration; a paralegal does substantive legal work such as drafting and discovery under supervision.