Paralegals’ Pay Is Rising After Flat Year, Says ALM/IPMA Survey

June 6, 2011 - PRLog -- NEW YORK – June 6, 2011 – After a year of generally flat compensation, paralegals’ pay is rising, according to the Annual Compensation Survey for Paralegals/Legal Assistants and Managers, 2011 Edition, released today.

The survey by ALM Legal Intelligence, a leading source of business intelligence for the legal profession, in partnership with the International Paralegal Management Association (IPMA), tracks compensation, billing rates and billable hours for paralegals.  More than 250 law firms and law departments representing over 9,800 paralegal positions participated in the survey, which has been conducted annually since 2002.  

The results of this year’s survey included the following:

•   The number of organizations granting salary increases in 2011 rose from 64.9% of respondents to 87.2% for paralegal positions that are exempt from wage-and-hour regulations and from 70.1% to 90.0% for non-exempt paralegal positions.
•   Changes in base compensation were mostly positive this year, with ten of the eleven positions reporting increases in median base compensation from 2010.
•   While both bonuses and overtime compensation decreased for the majority of the positions in last year’s report, the 2011 Survey shows increases for both in nearly all positions.
•   As in last year’s survey, the top two highest paid positions in 2011 are Litigation Support/Technology Manager and Paralegal Manager.
•   Law firm paralegal billing rates increased or remained the same for nine of the 11 paralegal positions surveyed.  Rates ranged from $135 an hour for a Paralegal Clerk up to a median of $245 for the Paralegal Manager position.
•   The highest paid practice area for the Legal Assistant/Paralegal position remains IP/Patents/Trademarks.

To purchase a copy of the survey, visit www.almlegalintelligence.com. IPMA members or organizations with IPMA members may be eligible for a discount and should phone 888-770-5647 to order.

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.almlegalintelligence.com, provides subscribers with direct, on-demand access to ALM LI’s 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 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 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, 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.