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Assistant general counsel vs associate attorney

The differences between assistants general counsel and associate attorneys 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 general counsel and an associate attorney. Additionally, an assistant general counsel has an average salary of $141,227, which is higher than the $110,053 average annual salary of an associate attorney.

The top three skills for an assistant general counsel include legal advice, litigation and legal issues. The most important skills for an associate attorney are litigation, law firm, and discovery responses.

Assistant general counsel vs associate attorney overview

Assistant General CounselAssociate Attorney
Yearly salary$141,227$110,053
Hourly rate$67.90$52.91
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs58,5089,183
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 51%Doctoral Degree, 57%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does an assistant general counsel do?

An assistant general counsel helps the general counsel in giving professional legal services to an entity, such as protecting its legal affairs. He/She or she also helps stakeholders such as legal and executive managers and board of directors for the efficient execution of their roles. The position requires essential skills such as good research, analytical, interpersonal skills, and a keen eye for details. The education requirements for the job include obtaining a bachelor's or master's degree in law, business, political science, and a related field.

What does an associate attorney do?

An associate attorney's role is to provide legal counseling to an individual or business entity, resolve legal disputes through crafting agreements and negotiating contract terms, and serving as an advisor or advocate. Most associate attorneys work at law firms or government agencies, supervised by more experienced personnel. Among the duties of an associate attorney includes conducting extensive research on every case, presenting factual evidence and statements, producing the legal and necessary documentation, and representing clients in formal settings.

Assistant general counsel vs associate attorney salary

Assistants general counsel and associate attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.

Assistant General CounselAssociate Attorney
Average salary$141,227$110,053
Salary rangeBetween $93,000 And $214,000Between $70,000 And $170,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyCotySchiff Hardin
Best paying industryUtilitiesProfessional

Differences between assistant general counsel and associate attorney education

There are a few differences between an assistant general counsel and an associate attorney in terms of educational background:

Assistant General CounselAssociate Attorney
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 51%Doctoral Degree, 57%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Assistant general counsel vs associate attorney demographics

Here are the differences between assistants general counsel' and associate attorneys' demographics:

Assistant General CounselAssociate Attorney
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 59.5% Female, 40.5%Male, 57.1% Female, 42.9%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between assistant general counsel and associate attorney duties and responsibilities

Assistant general counsel example responsibilities.

  • Manage debt and equity offerings and relate disclosure under applicable state and federal securities laws.
  • Manage the litigation referral process; work with examiners and investigators preparing subpoenas, taking witness testimony and reviewing documentary evidence.
  • Assist in liaising with insurance authorities, responding to regulatory inquiries and managing relationship with region from legal and business perspective.
  • Draft and assist in the implementation of data use authorizations with all clinical trial sites to ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations.
  • Advise clients on many legal matters in pharmacy services administration, audits, HIPAA, and health care issues in general.
  • Coordinate defective pricing reviews, post award audits and conduct internal ethics investigations.
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Associate attorney example responsibilities.

  • Provide litigation support for general civil and probate litigation at trial and appellate levels.
  • Attend arbitration hearings, conduct and attend depositions, and negotiate and evaluate settlements in arbitration and litigation disputes.
  • Participate in all phases of commercial and construction litigation, arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
  • Play instrumental role in all areas of litigation preparation, including authoring interrogatories, participating in depositions and preparing for trial.
  • Prepare briefs and counsele clients in matters pertaining to unemployment and workers' compensation, including hearings and appeals.
  • Represent contracting officers in administrative appeals.
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Assistant general counsel vs associate attorney skills

Common assistant general counsel skills
  • Legal Advice, 10%
  • Litigation, 10%
  • Legal Issues, 7%
  • Legal Support, 5%
  • Legal Research, 5%
  • Legal Services, 4%
Common associate attorney skills
  • Litigation, 24%
  • Law Firm, 10%
  • Discovery Responses, 9%
  • Pre-Trial Motions, 3%
  • Real Estate Transactions, 3%
  • Legal Issues, 2%