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The differences between claim 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 a claim attorney and a contract attorney. Additionally, a contract attorney has an average salary of $97,474, which is higher than the $82,608 average annual salary of a claim attorney.
The top three skills for a claim attorney include litigation, legal advice and litigation strategy. The most important skills for a contract attorney are litigation, e-discovery, and legal research.
| Claim Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $82,608 | $97,474 |
| Hourly rate | $39.72 | $46.86 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 10,583 | 13,592 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Claims attorneys are in-house attorneys of a company who provide legal advice and manage litigation. The attorneys offer direct legal advice to corporate units for legal compliance with state regulations and laws. They provide legal advice, manage complex claims, and draft coverage opinions. It is part of their job to negotiate settlements with insurance companies and with third-party administrators. They appraise and evaluate the claims operation of insurance companies. Also, they represent clients in cases related to civil litigation.
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.
Claim attorneys and contract attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Claim Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Average salary | $82,608 | $97,474 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $132,000 | Between $60,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Ramon, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a claim attorney and a contract attorney in terms of educational background:
| Claim Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between claim attorneys' and contract attorneys' demographics:
| Claim Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.1% 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% |