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The differences between assistants general counsel and 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 attorney. Additionally, an assistant general counsel has an average salary of $141,227, which is higher than the $109,476 average annual salary of an attorney.
The top three skills for an assistant general counsel include legal advice, litigation and legal issues. The most important skills for an attorney are litigation, legal research, and law firm.
| Assistant General Counsel | Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $141,227 | $109,476 |
| Hourly rate | $67.90 | $52.63 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 58,508 | 10,991 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 51% | Doctoral Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Generally, an attorney's responsibility is to advise the client with an ongoing lawsuit on the legal procedures and provide strategies to resolve the case as early as possible. An attorney compiles necessary documents or any records for appeal and client's defense. Attorneys must acquire strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to mediate disputes and settle pending litigation for the client's best interest. In some cases, an attorney's procedure depends on any evidence and research presented during the trial period. An attorney is expected to present clients on legal proceedings, seeking justice and justifying the law.
Assistants general counsel and attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant General Counsel | Attorney | |
| Average salary | $141,227 | $109,476 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $214,000 | Between $69,000 And $172,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Coty | Thompson Coburn |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | - |
There are a few differences between an assistant general counsel and an attorney in terms of educational background:
| Assistant General Counsel | Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 51% | Doctoral Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between assistants general counsel' and attorneys' demographics:
| Assistant General Counsel | Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.5% Female, 40.5% | Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |