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The differences between corporate 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 corporate attorney and a litigation attorney. Additionally, a corporate attorney has an average salary of $115,653, which is higher than the $109,027 average annual salary of a litigation attorney.
The top three skills for a corporate attorney include law firm, litigation and real estate. The most important skills for a litigation attorney are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| Corporate Attorney | Litigation Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $115,653 | $109,027 |
| Hourly rate | $55.60 | $52.42 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 20,893 | 6,918 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 48% | Doctoral Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
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.
Corporate attorneys and litigation attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Corporate Attorney | Litigation Attorney | |
| Average salary | $115,653 | $109,027 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $198,000 | Between $69,000 And $172,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a corporate attorney and a litigation attorney in terms of educational background:
| Corporate Attorney | Litigation Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 48% | Doctoral Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between corporate attorneys' and litigation attorneys' demographics:
| Corporate Attorney | Litigation Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% | Male, 56.8% Female, 43.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |