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Associate attorney vs assistant district attorney

The differences between associate attorneys and assistant district 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 associate attorney and an assistant district attorney. Additionally, an associate attorney has an average salary of $110,053, which is higher than the $73,970 average annual salary of an assistant district attorney.

The top three skills for an associate attorney include litigation, law firm and discovery responses. The most important skills for an assistant district attorney are felony cases, criminal justice, and criminal cases.

Associate attorney vs assistant district attorney overview

Associate AttorneyAssistant District Attorney
Yearly salary$110,053$73,970
Hourly rate$52.91$35.56
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs9,18315,857
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 57%Doctoral Degree, 55%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

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.

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.

Associate attorney vs assistant district attorney salary

Associate attorneys and assistant district attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.

Associate AttorneyAssistant District Attorney
Average salary$110,053$73,970
Salary rangeBetween $70,000 And $170,000Between $50,000 And $108,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companySchiff HardinGwinnett Center
Best paying industryProfessionalGovernment

Differences between associate attorney and assistant district attorney education

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

Associate AttorneyAssistant District Attorney
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 57%Doctoral Degree, 55%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Associate attorney vs assistant district attorney demographics

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

Associate AttorneyAssistant District Attorney
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 57.1% Female, 42.9%Male, 55.2% Female, 44.8%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black 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%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between associate attorney and assistant district attorney duties and responsibilities

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.
  • Show more

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.

Associate attorney vs assistant district attorney skills

Common associate attorney skills
  • Litigation, 24%
  • Law Firm, 10%
  • Discovery Responses, 9%
  • Pre-Trial Motions, 3%
  • Real Estate Transactions, 3%
  • Legal Issues, 2%
Common assistant district attorney skills
  • Felony Cases, 7%
  • Criminal Justice, 7%
  • Criminal Cases, 6%
  • Litigation, 6%
  • Crime Scenes, 6%
  • Adas, 5%