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Attorney at law vs lawyer

The differences between attorneys at law and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an attorney at law and a lawyer. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, which is higher than the $108,018 average annual salary of an attorney at law.

The top three skills for an attorney at law include litigation, law firm and legal research. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.

Attorney at law vs lawyer overview

Attorney At LawLawyer
Yearly salary$108,018$115,808
Hourly rate$51.93$55.68
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs7,0252,897
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does an attorney at law do?

An Attorney at Law is responsible for preparing and examining contracts involving leases, licenses, purchases, sales, etc. They advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, or legal rights and obligations.

What does a lawyer do?

A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.

Attorney at law vs lawyer salary

Attorneys at law and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Attorney At LawLawyer
Average salary$108,018$115,808
Salary rangeBetween $69,000 And $166,000Between $64,000 And $208,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyWhite and WilliamsNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best paying industryRetail-

Differences between attorney at law and lawyer education

There are a few differences between an attorney at law and a lawyer in terms of educational background:

Attorney At LawLawyer
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Attorney at law vs lawyer demographics

Here are the differences between attorneys at law' and lawyers' demographics:

Attorney At LawLawyer
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 54.6% Female, 45.4%Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%
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, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between attorney at law and lawyer duties and responsibilities

Attorney at law example responsibilities.

  • Manage a civil practice focuse primarily on representing claimants in securities arbitration proceedings.
  • Support tort, real estate, probate, appellate, and business litigation with outside counsel in California.
  • Sole practice of law in the areas of corporate, juvenile matters, probate, real estate, securities and taxation.
  • File garnishment actions; defend tenants, landlords and assort other parties in proceedings in small claims and landlord tenant courts.
  • Document review for internal investigation of FDA filing practices
  • Advise technical, scientific and regulatory personnel on FDA legal requirements.
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Lawyer example responsibilities.

  • Participate in drafting legal documents and prepare business contracts, perform taxation duties for the enterprise and settle disputes with employees.
  • Handle all types of civil claims and provide notary services
  • Review of complaints relate to judicial ethics and employee misconduct.
  • Draft, proofread and ensure filing and service of criminal motions.
  • Draft a variety of pleadings and motions on behalf of the plaintiff.
  • Assist clients at the notary public office and negotiate licensing agreements for virtual data rooms.
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Attorney at law vs lawyer skills

Common attorney at law skills
  • Litigation, 23%
  • Law Firm, 10%
  • Legal Research, 7%
  • Juris, 4%
  • Real Estate Transactions, 3%
  • Trial Preparation, 3%
Common lawyer skills
  • Litigation, 14%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Legal Issues, 7%
  • Real Estate, 6%
  • Legal Research, 6%
  • Civil Law, 5%