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Corporate counsel vs litigation associate

The differences between corporate counsels and litigation associates 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 litigation associate. Additionally, a corporate counsel has an average salary of $142,515, which is higher than the $112,116 average annual salary of a litigation associate.

The top three skills for a corporate counsel include legal issues, litigation and legal advice. The most important skills for a litigation associate are litigation, law firm, and legal research.

Corporate counsel vs litigation associate overview

Corporate CounselLitigation Associate
Yearly salary$142,515$112,116
Hourly rate$68.52$53.90
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs14,9139,779
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 50%Doctoral Degree, 56%
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 litigation associate do?

A Litigation Associate offers legal advice for individuals involved in lawsuits and represents them in court. They prepare pleading, collect evidence, defend depositions, and manage the client database.

Corporate counsel vs litigation associate salary

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

Corporate CounselLitigation Associate
Average salary$142,515$112,116
Salary rangeBetween $98,000 And $207,000Between $68,000 And $182,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWhite Plains, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyPerkins CoieBryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Best paying industryTechnologyProfessional

Differences between corporate counsel and litigation associate education

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

Corporate CounselLitigation Associate
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 50%Doctoral Degree, 56%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Corporate counsel vs litigation associate demographics

Here are the differences between corporate counsels' and litigation associates' demographics:

Corporate CounselLitigation Associate
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 59.8% Female, 40.2%Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6%
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, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between corporate counsel and litigation associate 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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Litigation associate example responsibilities.

  • Lead and assist in out-of-court resolution of actions including settlement negotiations, mediation, and arbitration.
  • Manage all aspects of motion practice and discovery in class and institutional actions involving residential mortgage-backed securities investments.
  • Represent immigrants in deportation proceedings, federal litigation and appeals.
  • Participate in complex commercial litigation group, with matters involving insurance, entertainment, products liability, utilities and investment banking.
  • Research various aspects of family law, civil procedure, and tort law.
  • Ensure business compliance with FDCPA, HIPAA, ADA, and various other regulations.
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Corporate counsel vs litigation associate skills

Common corporate counsel skills
  • Legal Issues, 9%
  • Litigation, 8%
  • Legal Advice, 8%
  • Intellectual Property, 6%
  • Legal Support, 6%
  • Legal Risks, 4%
Common litigation associate skills
  • Litigation, 28%
  • Law Firm, 11%
  • Legal Research, 6%
  • Commercial Litigation, 5%
  • Discovery Motions, 3%
  • Insurance Coverage, 3%