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What is a contract attorney and how to become one
Whether you're a recent law graduate or a seasoned professional with years of experience, becoming a contract attorney might be the best way to generate money using your legal skills. Working as a contract attorney may help secure your dream position, or it may help you make a steady income while you search for that dream job. Not only will you learn valuable skills, but you can also build a valuable network of professional contacts.
In general, a contract attorney works on legal cases on an as-needed or temporary basis. Contracts can be for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few years. Generally, a contract lawyer's core responsibility is drawing up and reviewing legal contracts and documents. They may also perform contract research, prepare case strategies, offer legal advisory services to clients, and support the litigation team.
This position requires a bachelor's degree, a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a law degree, and a Bar certification. Contract lawyers must possess excellent research and multitasking skills, be detail-oriented, and have an ability to adapt to new situations regularly. They may work for an agency, serve as a part of an in-house legal department, or work for a law firm.
What general advice would you give to a contract attorney?
Hanna Royce
Assistant Dean of Career Services, University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law
Many graduates are securing remote positions. To be successful in a remote environment, employees need to make the extra effort to communicate and stay connected with colleagues. Even when employees are telecommuting, they should dress as if they are going into the office. This can help them with productivity and illustrate their professionalism when meeting with colleagues or clients.
Avg. Salary $97,474
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 10%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%
Asian 6.30%
Black or African American 5.47%
Hispanic or Latino 7.69%
Unknown 4.37%
White 75.86%
Genderfemale 49.05%
male 50.95%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Contract attorney career paths
Key steps to become a contract attorney
Explore contract attorney education requirements
Start to develop specific contract attorney skills
Skills Percentages Litigation 23.39% E-Discovery 11.16% Legal Research 6.59% Legal Issues 4.10% Real Estate 3.30% Complete relevant contract attorney training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New contract attorneys learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a contract attorney based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real contract attorney resumes.Research contract attorney duties and responsibilities
- Conduct first-level document review, QC review, and privilege review for complex residential mortgage-backed securities litigation.
- Experience in e-discovery document review teams assessing responsiveness in second requests, pharmaceutical litigation/product liability cases and patent infringement suits.
- Consult with law firms regarding deposition and hearing preparations and provide other litigation support services for various banking and pharmaceutical antitrust matters
- Remove confidential personal information and HIPAA.
Prepare your contract attorney resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your contract attorney resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a contract attorney resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable contract attorney resume templates
Build a professional contract attorney resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your contract attorney resume.
Apply for contract attorney jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a contract attorney job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first contract attorney job
Are you a contract attorney?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average contract attorney salary
The average contract attorney salary in the United States is $97,474 per year or $47 per hour. Contract attorney salaries range between $60,000 and $158,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do contract attorneys rate their job?
Contract attorney reviews
As a civil litigation defense attorney I love the fact that every day is different. I enjoy assisting clients who have a problem to solve that problem in the most cost effective way, and how to avoid such problems in the future. I like that I basically set my own work schedule (other than court dates).
Billing hours. Unscrupulous opposing counsel. Occasional biased judges who do not follow the law.
Updated January 8, 2025
