Staff Attorney vs Associate

An associate is an entry-level lawyer at a law firm. They are prone to being an expert in one particular area of the law or several. Associates serve many clients in their law firm, this includes specific individuals and companies. The typical aim of an associate is to become a partner at the law firm they work for.

Here are the key differences between a staff attorney and an associate:

• Associates typically serve many clients who retain them to handle matters that are episodic, labor-intensive, or require specialized legal expertise

• Staff attorneys usually serve one particular organization or individual

• On average associates have a higher salary than staff attorneys

• Associates have the ability to be promoted to a partner position at the law firm they work for

• Staff attorneys can grow in their given position but can not reach as high of a level as associates

• Becoming an associate at a law firm is usually harder and more competitive than becoming a staff attorney

• Associates tend to be more specialized in their knowledge of the law, whereas staff attorneys have more general knowledge