What is an Assistant General Counsel?

The assistant general counsel is responsible for ensuring a company's compliance with relevant laws and regulations. You are to develop practices, guidelines, and policies with your business team concerning federal, state, and international compliance with laws and regulations. You will be in charge of supporting the general counsel. This is possible by helping in the management counsel of college contracts by reviewing requests for a legal form, drafting, and negotiating proposals.

You are also allowed to provide support in full arrays of areas such as student affairs, academic, international programs, and many more. As an assistant general counsel, your responsibility is to oversee and serve as a liaison with outside counsel, prepare and provide documentation when necessary to implement program initiatives, and conducting legal research, drafting, and legal memoranda. In the absence of the Associate General Counsel, you are to oversee the legal functions of an OGC.

The basic skills required for an assistant general counsel include the ability to communicate well, research and analytical skills, the ability to work under high pressure, and multi-tasking skills. The average salary of an assistant general counsel is $114,000 annually. A bachelor's degree in Law, Political Science, or other related disciplines is required.

What Does an Assistant General Counsel Do

There are certain skills that many assistants general counsel have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills.

Learn more about what an Assistant General Counsel does

How To Become an Assistant General Counsel

If you're interested in becoming an assistant general counsel, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 40.3% of assistants general counsel have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 6.7% of assistants general counsel have master's degrees. Even though most assistants general counsel have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become an Assistant General Counsel
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Assistant General Counsel Career Paths

As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, an assistant general counsel can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as general counsel, progress to a title such as partner and then eventually end up with the title partner.

Assistant General Counsel

Average Salary for an Assistant General Counsel

Assistants General Counsel in America make an average salary of $141,227 per year or $68 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $214,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $93,000 per year.
Average Assistant General Counsel Salary
$141,227 Yearly
$67.90 hourly
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Roles and Types of Assistant General Counsel

The role of an assistant general counsel includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general assistant general counsel responsibilities:

  • Draft, review and negotiate complex technology agreements in compliance with company policies
  • Draft, review and negotiate commercial arrangements with strategic partners. Participate
  • Monitor, identify and document changes in all applicable federal, state

There are several types of assistant general counsel, including:

Legal Extern

Role:

Let's rip the Band-Aid off, shall we? As a legal extern, you're probably not going to get paid. But what you take away from these opportunities may prove more useful in the longterm. What you'll take away from a legal externship will be experience and academic credit. Which really is priceless, if you ask us.

You'll have experience right off the bat within a legal setting. This definitely will give you an edge against your other colleagues. A legal extern is very similar to an internship, but is usually much shorter. So while you're getting the experience, you don't have to commit to it for as long.

Since being a legal extern won't last very long, it's a good way to see if you even want to work in the legal industry. It'll give you a glimpse into everything you will be doing, like conducting client interviews, making a court appearance, and even some legal research and writing. Just think of it as a very in-depth glimpse into "a day in the life" of a legal profession.

  • Average Salary: $47,238
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Attorney

Role:

An attorney's job is to be there for people who are down on their luck, legally, of course. They provide legal advice to individuals, businesses and even government agencies (yes, the government can get into trouble too).

While a degree in law may not sound too bad, this profession also requires that you pass the bar exam. Which, if you haven't heard of before, it's pretty difficult to pass. If you're willing to put in the study hours, though, the average attorney makes $122,960 a year. So that's definitely a plus.

  • Average Salary: $109,476
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree

Contract Attorney

Role:

Whether you're a recent law graduate or a seasoned professional with years of experience, becoming a contract attorney might be the best way to generate money using your legal skills. Working as a contract attorney may help secure your dream position, or it may help you make a steady income while you search for that dream job. Not only will you learn valuable skills, but you can also build a valuable network of professional contacts.

In general, a contract attorney works on legal cases on an as-needed or temporary basis. Contracts can be for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few years. Generally, a contract lawyer's core responsibility is drawing up and reviewing legal contracts and documents. They may also perform contract research, prepare case strategies, offer legal advisory services to clients, and support the litigation team.

This position requires a bachelor's degree, a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a law degree, and a Bar certification. Contract lawyers must possess excellent research and multitasking skills, be detail-oriented, and have an ability to adapt to new situations regularly. They may work for an agency, serve as a part of an in-house legal department, or work for a law firm.

  • Average Salary: $97,474
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree
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States With The Most Assistant General Counsel Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active assistant general counsel jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where assistants general counsel earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Assistant General Counsel Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California4,678$171,248
2New York1,938$159,035
3Massachusetts1,204$119,342
4New Jersey1,014$142,674
5Texas961$112,857
6Washington906$127,853
7Florida754$96,858
8Oregon589$114,269
9Ohio559$109,486
10Georgia544$138,959
11North Carolina516$103,804
12Pennsylvania479$105,822
13Utah472$121,566
14Virginia450$134,696
15Connecticut436$128,981
16Illinois432$126,326
17Tennessee389$105,853
18Michigan368$125,126
19Alabama315$108,058
20Nebraska278$108,320
21Minnesota275$120,828
22Arizona256$125,264
23Indiana252$107,754
24Missouri240$104,172
25Colorado238$148,659
26New Hampshire231$103,409
27South Carolina229$104,435
28Maryland225$119,227
29Idaho222$99,851
30Kentucky215$98,495
31Maine201$99,696
32Delaware178$115,395
33Rhode Island177$111,388
34Wisconsin164$105,987
35Kansas131$103,228
36Oklahoma126$93,374
37North Dakota124$104,752
38South Dakota123$99,679
39Louisiana112$104,728
40Arkansas110$77,292
41Iowa86$106,325
42West Virginia78$112,322
43Mississippi78$93,477
44Hawaii69$100,261
45Nevada62$129,830
46Montana60$94,882
47Vermont56$121,380
48New Mexico48$101,129
49Wyoming34$106,498
50Alaska24$106,994

Assistant General Counsel Education

Assistant General Counsel Majors

Law
51.4 %
Political Science
11.5 %
Business
5.5 %

Assistant General Counsel Degrees

Doctorate

51.1 %

Bachelors

40.3 %

Masters

6.7 %

Top Colleges for Assistant General Counsels

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

9. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

10. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,391

Enrollment

8,568

Top Skills For an Assistant General Counsel

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 10.2% of assistants general counsel listed legal advice on their resume, but soft skills such as analytical skills and interpersonal skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Assistant General Counsel Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Assistant General Counsel templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Assistant General Counsel resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Assistant General Counsel diversity

Assistant General Counsel Gender Distribution

Male
Male
60%
Female
Female
41%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among assistants general counsel, 40.5% of them are women, while 59.5% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among assistants general counsel is White, which makes up 76.0% of all assistants general counsel.

  • The most common foreign language among assistants general counsel is Spanish at 41.0%.

Online Courses For Assistant General Counsel That You May Like

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1. Legal Contracts and Agreements for Entrepreneurs

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This course focuses on how legal contracts may impact or impede the success of aspiring and active entrepreneurs. We explore a wide variety of legal considerations, including: * What types of legal contracts and agreements are appropriate for which entrepreneurial activities and actions? * What is the role of torts, liability, and negligence in creating and managing products and services? * How should contracts and sales agreements be created, evaluated, and negotiated? * What legal...

2. Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs

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For aspiring and active entrepreneurs, this course focuses on the opportunities and challenges of intellectual property. Intellectual property is a commonly discussed, often misunderstand, element of entrepreneurship and law. Knowing how to create and manage patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets is a valuable skill for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Regardless of size and industry, a business’s intellectual property is often more valuable than its physical assets. Companies...

3. HR 101: Compliance Made Easy - U.S. Employers Must Have

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4.5
(1,375)

Streamline the most critical human resource (HR) processes and be in compliance with U.S. employment regulations...

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Best States For an Assistant General Counsel

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as an assistant general counsel. The best states for people in this position are California, New York, Colorado, and New Jersey. Assistants general counsel make the most in California with an average salary of $171,248. Whereas in New York and Colorado, they would average $159,035 and $148,659, respectively. While assistants general counsel would only make an average of $142,674 in New Jersey, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. California

Total Assistant General Counsel Jobs: 4,678
Highest 10% Earn:
$247,000
Location Quotient:
2.08

$171,248

Avg. Salary

View 4,678 Assistant General Counsel Jobs In CA

2. New York

Total Assistant General Counsel Jobs: 1,938
Highest 10% Earn:
$232,000
Location Quotient:
1.97

$159,035

Avg. Salary

View 1,938 Assistant General Counsel Jobs In NY

3. District of Columbia

Total Assistant General Counsel Jobs: 231
Highest 10% Earn:
$223,000
Location Quotient:
1.79

$150,412

Avg. Salary

View 231 Assistant General Counsel Jobs In DC
Full List Of Best States For Assistants General Counsel

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Top Assistant General Counsel Employers

Most Common Employers For Assistant General Counsel

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Walmart$185,494$89.189
2Microsoft$172,314$82.8411
3JPMorgan Chase & Co.$170,180$81.8256
4Nationwide$167,172$80.3716
5AIG$164,407$79.0413
6Citi$163,309$78.5110
7Cantor Fitzgerald$150,660$72.4312
8New York Life Insurance$149,294$71.789
9J.P. Morgan$145,899$70.147
10Pfizer$139,808$67.2211
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Updated April 6, 2023