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The differences between claim attorneys and trial 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 trial attorney. Additionally, a trial attorney has an average salary of $110,340, 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 trial attorney are litigation, legal research, and property damage.
| Claim Attorney | Trial Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $82,608 | $110,340 |
| Hourly rate | $39.72 | $53.05 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 10,583 | 7,253 |
| 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.
Trial attorneys are responsible for representing and defending clients in court. Trial attorneys must have excellent legal research skills to assess pieces of evidence and examining relevant judicial decisions to support the client's claims. A trial attorney should also provide legal advice for the clients and guide them through the legal procedures depending on the severity of the case. Trial attorneys must be able to develop trial strategies and arguments in the court to win the judge and the trial jury's decision.
Claim attorneys and trial attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Claim Attorney | Trial Attorney | |
| Average salary | $82,608 | $110,340 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $132,000 | Between $73,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a claim attorney and a trial attorney in terms of educational background:
| Claim Attorney | Trial 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 trial attorneys' demographics:
| Claim Attorney | Trial Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% |
| 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, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |