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The differences between city attorneys and litigation attorneys can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a city attorney and a litigation attorney. Additionally, a litigation attorney has an average salary of $109,027, which is higher than the $102,836 average annual salary of a city attorney.
The top three skills for a city attorney include litigation, legal research and legal advice. The most important skills for a litigation attorney are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| City Attorney | Litigation Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $102,836 | $109,027 |
| Hourly rate | $49.44 | $52.42 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 10,583 | 6,918 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 51% | Doctoral Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A city attorney typically works for the government and focuses on giving legal advice to city leaders when it comes to various matters that affect the city. Their responsibilities include maintaining knowledge of the latest changes in state and federal laws, helping city officials and staff understand procedures, drafting and reviewing contracts and laws, and performing extensive research and analysis. There are also instances when a city attorney may provide legal advice to citizens and even represent government agencies.
A Litigation Attorney manages all phases of the litigation process from investigation and pleading to trial, settlement, and appeal. They also question witnesses, victims, and others involved in cases.
City attorneys and litigation attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| City Attorney | Litigation Attorney | |
| Average salary | $102,836 | $109,027 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $158,000 | Between $69,000 And $172,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Icma-rc | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between a city attorney and a litigation attorney in terms of educational background:
| City Attorney | Litigation Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 51% | Doctoral Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between city attorneys' and litigation attorneys' demographics:
| City Attorney | Litigation Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% | Male, 56.8% Female, 43.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |