Shigoto Zukan
日本語

Will AI replace paralegals and legal assistants?AI replacement risk 77% and how the work is changing

United States Legal Confidence ★★★★★

Median annual pay
$62,890
25th–75th pct. $50,340–$80,080
Top pay (est.)
$132,000
Top 10% $101,500
Pay in 5 years
$69,400est.
2031
Pay in 10 years
$76,500est.
$65,800–$88,800
Outlook score
40/100
★★☆☆☆ Below average
AI replacement risk
77%
High
Job growth (10 yr)
−0.3%
41K openings / yr

Will AI replace Paralegals and Legal Assistants? AI replacement risk

77%
High
Ranked #777 safest from AI among all U.S. occupations
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

How AI is changing this job

A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.

AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →

Skills, education and requirements for Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Key skills

Active Listening
4.0
Speaking
4.0
Reading Comprehension
4.0
Writing
3.9
Critical Thinking
3.6
Active Learning
3.1
Social Perceptiveness
3.0
Coordination
3.0

O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).

Key knowledge areas

Administrative
5.4
English Language
4.9
Law and Government
4.9
Customer and Personal Service
4.3
Computers and Electronics
4.2
Administration and Management
3.9
Education and Training
2.8
Mathematics
2.8

What the work involves

Getting InformationOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeAnalyzing Data or InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Important abilities

Near VisionOral ExpressionOral ComprehensionWritten ExpressionWritten ComprehensionSpeech Recognition

Education of workers

Bachelor's degree
37%
Associate's degree
20%
High school diploma
19%
Doctoral degree
10%
Post-bachelor's certificate
10%
Post-secondary certificate
2%
Some college
2%

Training before entry

Up to 1 month
32%
1–2 years
24%
3–6 months
21%
1–3 months
13%
None / short demo
7%
6–12 months
3%

Related work experience

2–4 years
27%
4–6 years
22%
6–12 months
22%
1–2 years
14%
None
9%
3–6 months
3%
Over 10 years
2%

Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)

Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)

Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; O*NET 31.0 Database by USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0), modified by Shigoto Zukan. Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.