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The differences between assistants general counsel and contract 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 a contract attorney. Additionally, an assistant general counsel has an average salary of $141,227, which is higher than the $97,474 average annual salary of a contract attorney.
The top three skills for an assistant general counsel include legal advice, litigation and legal issues. The most important skills for a contract attorney are litigation, e-discovery, and legal research.
| Assistant General Counsel | Contract Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $141,227 | $97,474 |
| Hourly rate | $67.90 | $46.86 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 58,508 | 13,592 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 51% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| 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.
A contract attorney is responsible for handling their clients' legal issues and settling cases by researching, analyzing, and collecting essential files that would support the clients' claims. Contract attorneys usually work for private clients without being permanently employed in a law firm or government agency. Contract attorneys represent clients at court, assist with law proceedings, and advise clients for the necessary legal procedures. A contract attorney must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills to manage client legal matters and expertise in traditional disciplines and processes.
Assistants general counsel and contract attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant General Counsel | Contract Attorney | |
| Average salary | $141,227 | $97,474 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $214,000 | Between $60,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Ramon, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Coty | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | - |
There are a few differences between an assistant general counsel and a contract attorney in terms of educational background:
| Assistant General Counsel | Contract Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 51% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between assistants general counsel' and contract attorneys' demographics:
| Assistant General Counsel | Contract Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.5% Female, 40.5% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| 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, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |