Post job

Assistant district attorney vs lawyer

The differences between assistant district attorneys and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an assistant district attorney and a lawyer. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, which is higher than the $73,970 average annual salary of an assistant district attorney.

The top three skills for an assistant district attorney include felony cases, criminal justice and criminal cases. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.

Assistant district attorney vs lawyer overview

Assistant District AttorneyLawyer
Yearly salary$73,970$115,808
Hourly rate$35.56$55.68
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs15,8572,897
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does an assistant district attorney do?

An Assistant District Attorney helps the District Attorney, a government official. They represent the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses.

What does a lawyer do?

A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.

Assistant district attorney vs lawyer salary

Assistant district attorneys and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Assistant District AttorneyLawyer
Average salary$73,970$115,808
Salary rangeBetween $50,000 And $108,000Between $64,000 And $208,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyGwinnett CenterNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best paying industryGovernment-

Differences between assistant district attorney and lawyer education

There are a few differences between an assistant district attorney and a lawyer in terms of educational background:

Assistant District AttorneyLawyer
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Assistant district attorney vs lawyer demographics

Here are the differences between assistant district attorneys' and lawyers' demographics:

Assistant District AttorneyLawyer
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 55.2% Female, 44.8%Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between assistant district attorney and lawyer duties and responsibilities

Assistant district attorney example responsibilities.

  • Draft search warrants, cell site orders, and subpoenas on a frequent basis as part of developing and managing investigations.
  • Handle all phases of criminal prosecution including witness interviews, grand jury presentations, hearings, trials and appeals.
  • Draft briefs, motions, orders, subpoenas, contracts and other legal documents, as well as correspondence and reports.
  • Research and co-authore multiple briefs for interlocutory appeals regarding suppression of evidence.
  • Provide presentation and legal defense of insure persons in personal injury actions through mediation and/or trial.
  • Review and analyze medical records, permanency evaluations, interrogatories, and transcripts.

Lawyer example responsibilities.

  • Participate in drafting legal documents and prepare business contracts, perform taxation duties for the enterprise and settle disputes with employees.
  • Handle all types of civil claims and provide notary services
  • Review of complaints relate to judicial ethics and employee misconduct.
  • Draft, proofread and ensure filing and service of criminal motions.
  • Draft a variety of pleadings and motions on behalf of the plaintiff.
  • Assist clients at the notary public office and negotiate licensing agreements for virtual data rooms.
  • Show more

Assistant district attorney vs lawyer skills

Common assistant district attorney skills
  • Felony Cases, 7%
  • Criminal Justice, 7%
  • Criminal Cases, 6%
  • Litigation, 6%
  • Crime Scenes, 6%
  • Adas, 5%
Common lawyer skills
  • Litigation, 14%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Legal Issues, 7%
  • Real Estate, 6%
  • Legal Research, 6%
  • Civil Law, 5%