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The differences between attorneys and senior 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 attorney and a senior attorney. Additionally, a senior attorney has an average salary of $111,002, which is higher than the $109,476 average annual salary of an attorney.
The top three skills for an attorney include litigation, legal research and law firm. The most important skills for a senior attorney are litigation, law firm, and legal advice.
| Attorney | Senior Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $109,476 | $111,002 |
| Hourly rate | $52.63 | $53.37 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 10,991 | 10,445 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 48% | Doctoral Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Generally, an attorney's responsibility is to advise the client with an ongoing lawsuit on the legal procedures and provide strategies to resolve the case as early as possible. An attorney compiles necessary documents or any records for appeal and client's defense. Attorneys must acquire strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to mediate disputes and settle pending litigation for the client's best interest. In some cases, an attorney's procedure depends on any evidence and research presented during the trial period. An attorney is expected to present clients on legal proceedings, seeking justice and justifying the law.
A Senior Attorney supervises all activities of junior attorneys and deals with all complex legal transactions. They identify legal issues and offer businesses and their customers optimum solutions, as well as ensure that businesses respond appropriately to any legislative changes.
Attorneys and senior attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Attorney | Senior Attorney | |
| Average salary | $109,476 | $111,002 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $172,000 | Between $67,000 And $183,000 |
| Highest paying City | White Plains, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Thompson Coburn | Clifford Chance |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between an attorney and a senior attorney in terms of educational background:
| Attorney | Senior Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 48% | Doctoral Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between attorneys' and senior attorneys' demographics:
| Attorney | Senior Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1% | Male, 60.1% Female, 39.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 6.2% White, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |