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The differences between defense attorneys and attorneys at law can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a defense attorney and an attorney at law. Additionally, an attorney at law has an average salary of $108,018, which is higher than the $103,209 average annual salary of a defense attorney.
The top three skills for a defense attorney include litigation, insurance defense and law firm. The most important skills for an attorney at law are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| Defense Attorney | Attorney At Law | |
| Yearly salary | $103,209 | $108,018 |
| Hourly rate | $49.62 | $51.93 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 6,557 | 7,025 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Doctoral Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A defense attorney serves as an advocate for individuals accused of committing crimes, representing and defending them at court to prove their innocence or negotiate plea bargains. As a defense attorney, they are responsible for studying everything about the case, preparing legal documents, gathering evidence, conducting interviews with the client and potential witnesses, coordinating with paralegals, and developing different strategies to defend the client during the court proceedings. They also provide counseling to clients, offer legal advice, give them updates about the case, and help them understand the procedures and risks.
An Attorney at Law is responsible for preparing and examining contracts involving leases, licenses, purchases, sales, etc. They advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, or legal rights and obligations.
Defense attorneys and attorneys at law have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Defense Attorney | Attorney At Law | |
| Average salary | $103,209 | $108,018 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $152,000 | Between $69,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Taylor English Duma | White and Williams |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Retail |
There are a few differences between a defense attorney and an attorney at law in terms of educational background:
| Defense Attorney | Attorney At Law | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Doctoral Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between defense attorneys' and attorneys at law' demographics:
| Defense Attorney | Attorney At Law | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.1% Female, 47.9% | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |