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The differences between defense attorneys 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 defense attorney and a litigation associate. Additionally, a litigation associate has an average salary of $112,116, 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 a litigation associate are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| Defense Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $103,209 | $112,116 |
| Hourly rate | $49.62 | $53.90 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 6,557 | 9,779 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| 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.
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.
Defense attorneys and litigation associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Defense Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Average salary | $103,209 | $112,116 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $152,000 | Between $68,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Taylor English Duma | Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a defense attorney and a litigation associate in terms of educational background:
| Defense Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 50% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between defense attorneys' and litigation associates' demographics:
| Defense Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.1% Female, 47.9% | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% |
| 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% |