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The differences between district 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 district attorney and a litigation associate. Additionally, a litigation associate has an average salary of $112,116, which is higher than the $72,965 average annual salary of a district attorney.
The top three skills for a district attorney include pre-trial conferences, legal research and law enforcement agencies. The most important skills for a litigation associate are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| District Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $72,965 | $112,116 |
| Hourly rate | $35.08 | $53.90 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 13,378 | 9,779 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
District attorneys represent the government in court and prepare criminal prosecution cases. Besides partnering on criminal investigations and evaluating police reports, district attorneys also consult with alleged perpetrators, law enforcement, and judges. They uphold professional ethics, abide by the country's prosecution laws, and supervise and guide legal clerks and associates. Moreover, district attorneys prepare and file pre-trial motions, study case law, and gather enough evidence needed to prosecute alleged perpetrators in the court. Also, they assess legal merits to bring criminal charges against the alleged perpetrators.
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.
District attorneys and litigation associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| District Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Average salary | $72,965 | $112,116 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $107,000 | Between $68,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Ventura County Community Foundation | Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a district attorney and a litigation associate in terms of educational background:
| District Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between district attorneys' and litigation associates' demographics:
| District Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |