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The differences between associate attorneys and litigation paralegals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an associate attorney, becoming a litigation paralegal takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an associate attorney has an average salary of $110,053, which is higher than the $58,484 average annual salary of a litigation paralegal.
The top three skills for an associate attorney include litigation, law firm and discovery responses. The most important skills for a litigation paralegal are litigation, law firm, and trial preparation.
| Associate Attorney | Litigation Paralegal | |
| Yearly salary | $110,053 | $58,484 |
| Hourly rate | $52.91 | $28.12 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 9,183 | 5,132 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
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 litigation paralegal is a specialist who is responsible for assisting attorneys throughout the trial process. On the plaintiff side, litigation paralegals conduct initial client interviews and legal research for case preparations. They assist with the preliminary examinations of witnesses and jury selection in the courtroom. Litigation paralegals often assist attorneys with case settlements and help identify issues for appeals. They must also possess excellent skills in verbal and written communication and should have great attention in detail.
Associate attorneys and litigation paralegals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Attorney | Litigation Paralegal | |
| Average salary | $110,053 | $58,484 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $170,000 | Between $40,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Schiff Hardin | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between an associate attorney and a litigation paralegal in terms of educational background:
| Associate Attorney | Litigation Paralegal | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Law | Legal Support Services |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between associate attorneys' and litigation paralegals' demographics:
| Associate Attorney | Litigation Paralegal | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.1% Female, 42.9% | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 9% |