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The differences between associate attorneys 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 associate attorney and a contract attorney. Additionally, an associate attorney has an average salary of $110,053, which is higher than the $97,474 average annual salary of a contract attorney.
The top three skills for an associate attorney include litigation, law firm and discovery responses. The most important skills for a contract attorney are litigation, e-discovery, and legal research.
| Associate Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $110,053 | $97,474 |
| Hourly rate | $52.91 | $46.86 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 9,183 | 13,592 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
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.
Associate attorneys and contract attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Average salary | $110,053 | $97,474 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $170,000 | Between $60,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Ramon, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Schiff Hardin | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between an associate attorney and a contract attorney in terms of educational background:
| Associate Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between associate attorneys' and contract attorneys' demographics:
| Associate Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.1% Female, 42.9% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |