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Corporate Counsel Vs Lawyer

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 vs lawyer overview

Corporate CounselLawyer
Yearly Salary$142,515$115,808
Hourly rate$68.52$55.68
Growth Rate10%10%
Number Of Jobs14,9132,897
Job Satisfaction--
Most Common DegreeDoctoral Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average Age4646
Years Of Experience44

What does a Corporate Counsel do?

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.

What does a lawyer do?

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 counsel vs lawyer salary

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

Corporate CounselLawyer
Average Salary$142,515$115,808
Salary RangeBetween $98,000 And $207,000Between $64,000 And $208,000
Highest Paying CitySan Francisco, CAWashington, DC
Highest Paying StateCaliforniaNew York
Best Paying CompanyPerkins CoieNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best Paying IndustryTechnology-

Differences between corporate counsel and lawyer education

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

Corporate CounselLawyer
Most Common DegreeDoctoral Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most Common MajorLawLaw
Most Common CollegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Corporate counsel vs lawyer demographics

Here are the differences between corporate counsels' and lawyers' demographics:

Corporate CounselLawyer
Average Age4646
Gender RatioMale, 59.8% Female, 40.2%Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%
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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between corporate counsel and lawyer duties and responsibilities

Corporate Counsel Example Responsibilities.

  • Lead and conduct interrogatories and depositions.
  • Develop, implement and manage key business ethics programs including FCPA compliance and other anti-bribery/anti-kickback programs.
  • Manage all product liability, general commercial, environmental, intellectual property and real estate relate claims and litigation matters.
  • Manage all aspects of lease-relate litigation involving commercial, collection and personal injury lawsuits, including case planning and discovery processes.
  • Assist in liaising with insurance authorities, responding to regulatory inquiries and managing relationship with region from legal and business perspective.
  • Prepare corporate governance documentation, codes of ethics and negotiate acquisition, ventures and outsourcing.
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Lawyer Example Responsibilities.

  • Participate in drafting legal documents and prepare business contracts, perform taxation duties for the enterprise and settle disputes with employees.
  • Handle all types of civil claims and provide notary services
  • Review of complaints relate to judicial ethics and employee misconduct.
  • Draft, proofread and ensure filing and service of criminal motions.
  • Draft a variety of pleadings and motions on behalf of the plaintiff.
  • Assist clients at the notary public office and negotiate licensing agreements for virtual data rooms.
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Corporate counsel vs lawyer skills

Common Corporate Counsel Skills
  • Legal Issues, 9%
  • Litigation, 8%
  • Legal Advice, 8%
  • Intellectual Property, 6%
  • Legal Support, 6%
  • Legal Risks, 4%
Common Lawyer Skills
  • Litigation, 14%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Legal Issues, 7%
  • Real Estate, 6%
  • Legal Research, 6%
  • Civil Law, 5%