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Corporate attorney vs general counsel

The differences between corporate attorneys and general counsels can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a corporate attorney and a general counsel. Additionally, a general counsel has an average salary of $125,248, which is higher than the $115,653 average annual salary of a corporate attorney.

The top three skills for a corporate attorney include law firm, litigation and real estate. The most important skills for a general counsel are litigation, legal issues, and legal advice.

Corporate attorney vs general counsel overview

Corporate AttorneyGeneral Counsel
Yearly salary$115,653$125,248
Hourly rate$55.60$60.22
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs20,89350,275
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a corporate attorney do?

A corporate attorney is a corporate lawyer who acts as an agent representing a corporation's legal matters. Corporate attorneys represent the business transactions and operations and help their clients prevent expensive litigation. They advise business enterprises on their legal obligations, responsibilities, and rights. It is part of their job to recommend clients on business structures and provide an evaluation of their ventures. The lawyers are expected to develop strong communication skills, negotiation skills, attention to detail, and analytical skills.

What does a general counsel do?

A general counsel, also called a chief legal officer, is the chief lawyer in the legal department of an organization. The counsel represents an enterprise for any pending legal matters. They work proactively to lessen possible problems associated with legalities and potential risks. They have to monitor practices and the people within the law firm for misconduct. They also perform dominant roles in regulation, ethics, public affairs, and legislation. It is common for them to serve as the public spokesperson of the company during the publicity of legal matters.

Corporate attorney vs general counsel salary

Corporate attorneys and general counsels have different pay scales, as shown below.

Corporate AttorneyGeneral Counsel
Average salary$115,653$125,248
Salary rangeBetween $67,000 And $198,000Between $75,000 And $208,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkCalifornia
Best paying companySheppard Mullin Richter & HamptonMartin's Point Health Care
Best paying industryProfessionalFinance

Differences between corporate attorney and general counsel education

There are a few differences between a corporate attorney and a general counsel in terms of educational background:

Corporate AttorneyGeneral Counsel
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Corporate attorney vs general counsel demographics

Here are the differences between corporate attorneys' and general counsels' demographics:

Corporate AttorneyGeneral Counsel
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 57.9% Female, 42.1%Male, 61.5% Female, 38.5%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between corporate attorney and general counsel duties and responsibilities

Corporate attorney example responsibilities.

  • Manage day-to-day legal affairs of NYSE list airline.
  • Create and manage corporate policies and procedures regarding compliance with legal, ethics, and general employment laws and regulations.
  • Assist in liaising with insurance authorities, responding to regulatory inquiries and managing relationship with region from legal and business perspective.
  • Monitor and audit the performance and effectiveness of the ethics and compliance program, taking appropriate steps to improve its effectiveness.
  • Draft LLC operating agreements, corporate governing documents, stock and asset purchase agreements, and redemption agreements.
  • Contribute to company website by writing articles on current issues in taxation and tax issues for common life situations.
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General counsel example responsibilities.

  • Assist in liaising with insurance authorities, responding to regulatory inquiries and managing relationship with region from legal and business perspective.
  • Review subpoenas and attorney letters for compliance with HIPAA and institutional guidelines and coordinate non-party depositions as needed.
  • Prepare dozens of complex commercial transactions in connection to equity and debt securities offerings.
  • Handle regulatory, compliance, licensing, and registration matters for securities broker- dealer and register investment adviser.
  • Supervise commercial litigation, arbitration and claims, including case strategy, pleadings preparation, hearings, depositions and settlement negotiations.
  • Supervise and train unit charge with securing patient medical records, ensuring compliance with Medicare and HIPAA regulations and accreditation standards.
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Corporate attorney vs general counsel skills

Common corporate attorney skills
  • Law Firm, 14%
  • Litigation, 10%
  • Real Estate, 6%
  • Mergers, 5%
  • Legal Issues, 5%
  • Securities, 4%
Common general counsel skills
  • Litigation, 12%
  • Legal Issues, 8%
  • Legal Advice, 8%
  • Intellectual Property, 5%
  • Risk Management, 4%
  • Ethics, 4%