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The differences between defense attorneys and bankruptcy specialists 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 a bankruptcy specialist. Additionally, a defense attorney has an average salary of $103,209, which is higher than the $35,498 average annual salary of a bankruptcy specialist.
The top three skills for a defense attorney include litigation, insurance defense and law firm. The most important skills for a bankruptcy specialist are relief, pacer, and foreclosure.
| Defense Attorney | Bankruptcy Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $103,209 | $35,498 |
| Hourly rate | $49.62 | $17.07 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 6,557 | 4,381 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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.
The bankruptcy specialist is responsible for filing and documentation loan bankruptcy materials with the appropriate attorneys. They ensure full compliance with loan bankruptcy regulations and monitor accounts throughout the loan bankruptcy process to contact the appropriate party when necessary. A bankruptcy specialist might be an administrator or lawyer in a bankruptcy office and supports bankruptcy law. They are likely to evaluate state declaration and affidavits for legal progression, interact with customers and outside counsel about bankruptcy proceedings through written and verbal communication, and work with local counsel and upper management in effectively reviewing client's files.
Defense attorneys and bankruptcy specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Defense Attorney | Bankruptcy Specialist | |
| Average salary | $103,209 | $35,498 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $152,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Norfolk, VA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Taylor English Duma | The PNC Financial Services Group |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a defense attorney and a bankruptcy specialist in terms of educational background:
| Defense Attorney | Bankruptcy Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Law | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between defense attorneys' and bankruptcy specialists' demographics:
| Defense Attorney | Bankruptcy Specialist | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.1% Female, 47.9% | Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0% |
| 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, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |