$36 an hour is average pay for law firm paralegals, survey shows
A new survey finds that pay for paralegals is increasing even as law firms are billing for their work at lower rates.
The average expected pay hike for paralegals was 3 percent, according to a press release. At the same time, rates that law firms charge clients for paralegal services dropped about 5 percent overall from last year.
The survey of nearly 300 law firms and legal departments was conducted by ALM Legal Intelligence in conjunction with the International Paralegal Management Association. About 86 percent of the surveyed organizations reported pay increases.
Other survey findings:
• Average base pay for paralegals without management duties at law firms was $35.98 an hour, and the average bonus was $3,426.
• Average pay for a paralegal director at a law firm was $73.48, while the average bonus for the position was $16,149.
