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The differences between corporate counsels and lawyers 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 counsel and a lawyer. Additionally, a corporate counsel has an average salary of $142,515, which is higher than the $115,808 average annual salary of a lawyer.
The top three skills for a corporate counsel include legal issues, litigation and legal advice. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.
Corporate Counsel | Lawyer | |
Yearly Salary | $142,515 | $115,808 |
Hourly rate | $68.52 | $55.68 |
Growth Rate | 10% | 10% |
Number Of Jobs | 14,913 | 2,897 |
Job Satisfaction | - | - |
Most Common Degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
Average Age | 46 | 46 |
Years Of Experience | 4 | 4 |
A Corporate Counsel, also known as a corporate lawyer, works for a business or company providing legal advice to the employer. They usually work in the employers main office, but also can travel to participate in meetings, trials, and other legal proceedings.
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
Corporate counsels and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
Corporate Counsel | Lawyer | |
Average Salary | $142,515 | $115,808 |
Salary Range | Between $98,000 And $207,000 | Between $64,000 And $208,000 |
Highest Paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
Highest Paying State | California | New York |
Best Paying Company | Perkins Coie | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
Best Paying Industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a corporate counsel and a lawyer in terms of educational background:
Corporate Counsel | Lawyer | |
Most Common Degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
Most Common Major | Law | Law |
Most Common College | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between corporate counsels' and lawyers' demographics:
Corporate Counsel | Lawyer | |
Average Age | 46 | 46 |
Gender Ratio | Male, 59.8% Female, 40.2% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |