ALM/IPMA Survey: Paralegal Pay Rises in 2012

Paralegal pay continues to rise for both law firms and law departments, according to the 2012 Annual Compensation Survey for Paralegals/Legal Assistants and Managers released today.

The survey has been conducted annually since 2002 by ALM Legal Intelligence, a leading source of business intelligence for the legal profession, in partnership with the International Paralegal Management Association (IPMA).

The survey tracks compensation, billing rates and billable hours for paralegals, based on responses from 274 law firms and law departments representing more than 8,775 paralegal positions. 

Key findings from the survey included the following:

  • The number of organizations granting salary increases increased from 2011.  
  • The top 2 highest paid (hourly) positions in 2012 are Litigation Support/Technology Manager ($77.72) and Paralegal Director ($67.73) on the law firm side, and Paralegal Manager ($59.05) on the law department side.
  • Case Manager and Litigation Support/Technology Manager saw the biggest increases on the firm side; Paralegal and Paralegal Managers saw big increases on the law department side.
  • Law firm paralegal average billing rates increased or remainedrelatively the same in 2012 with rates ranging from $134 an hour for a Case Assistant up to $299 for the Specialist/Industry Analyst position.   
A copy of the survey report may be purchased here: www.almlegalintel.com .
 
I am curious if law firms of all sizes were surveyed or if the results are only from larger firms that hire paralegal managers. The results of this survey do not coincide with what I am hearing from paralegals across the country who report that their salaries remain stagnant with perhaps only slim increases.
 

IPMA members or organizations with IPMA members may be eligible for a discount and should phone 888-770-5647 to order a copy.
About ALM Legal Intelligence
ALM Legal Intelligence offers detailed business information for and about the legal industry, focused on the top U.S. and international law firms. The division’s online research Web service, www.almlegalintel.com , provides subscribers with direct, on-demand access to an extensive database of surveys, rankings and lists related to law firms and the legal industry. The site also includes an online store where non-subscribers can, on an individual basis, purchase and download preformatted individual law firm reports, research reports and selected current-year survey data. ALM Legal Intelligence is a division of ALM.
About the IPMA
The International Paralegal Management Association (IPMA), founded in 1984 as the Legal Assistant Management Association, promotes the development, professional standing and visibility of paralegal management professionals and consists of members throughout the United States and Canada as well as parts of Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. More information on the IPMA can be found at www.paralegalmanagement.org .
About ALM
ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news, research and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, Law Technology News, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com .
ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, Law Technology News, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com
SOURCE: ALM

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