General counsel vs housing counselor

The differences between general counsels and housing counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a general counsel and a housing counselor. Additionally, a general counsel has an average salary of $125,248, which is higher than the $78,730 average annual salary of a housing counselor.

The top three skills for a general counsel include litigation, legal issues and legal advice. The most important skills for a housing counselor are litigation, in-house counsel, and social work.

General counsel vs housing counselor overview

	General Counsel	Housing Counselor
Yearly salary	$125,248	$78,730
Hourly rate	$60.22	$37.85
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	50,275	33,639
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

What does a general counsel do?

A general counsel, also called a chief legal officer, is the chief lawyer in the legal department of an organization. The counsel represents an enterprise for any pending legal matters. They work proactively to lessen possible problems associated with legalities and potential risks. They have to monitor practices and the people within the law firm for misconduct. They also perform dominant roles in regulation, ethics, public affairs, and legislation. It is common for them to serve as the public spokesperson of the company during the publicity of legal matters.

What does a housing counselor do?

A Housing Counselor works directly with clients and organizations to support moderate and low-income clients in overcoming barriers to housing and financial stability. They represent the homeowner in interventions and/or mediation proceedings with the mortgage servicer, lender, and/or other stakeholders.

General counsel vs housing counselor salary

General counsels and housing counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Counsel	Housing Counselor
Average salary	$125,248	$78,730
Salary range	Between $75,000 And $208,000	Between $42,000 And $144,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Glen Cove, NY
Highest paying state	California	Connecticut
Best paying company	Martin's Point Health Care	PREIT
Best paying industry	Finance	Manufacturing

Differences between general counsel and housing counselor education

There are a few differences between a general counsel and a housing counselor in terms of educational background:

	General Counsel	Housing Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Law	Law
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

General counsel vs housing counselor demographics

Here are the differences between general counsels' and housing counselors' demographics:

	General Counsel	Housing Counselor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 61.5% Female, 38.5%	Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% 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, 75.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between general counsel and housing counselor duties and responsibilities

General counsel example responsibilities.

Assist in liaising with insurance authorities, responding to regulatory inquiries and managing relationship with region from legal and business perspective.
Review subpoenas and attorney letters for compliance with HIPAA and institutional guidelines and coordinate non-party depositions as needed.
Prepare dozens of complex commercial transactions in connection to equity and debt securities offerings.
Handle regulatory, compliance, licensing, and registration matters for securities broker- dealer and register investment adviser.
Supervise commercial litigation, arbitration and claims, including case strategy, pleadings preparation, hearings, depositions and settlement negotiations.
Supervise and train unit charge with securing patient medical records, ensuring compliance with Medicare and HIPAA regulations and accreditation standards.

Housing counselor example responsibilities.

Manage day-to-day legal affairs of NYSE list airline.
Engage in own practice focusing on estate planning and probate with some business planning.
Assist senior counsel in all aspects of litigation management including factual investigation, document preparation, and trial preparation and support.
Draft legal correspondence, exhibits, and discovery documents in the fields of probate, family law and contract dispute issues.
Explain family obligations according to HUD procedures and explain family responsibilities regarding rent amounts.
Educate consumers who are interest in purchasing a home by providing HUD approve individualized credit and budget counseling.

General counsel vs housing counselor skills

Common general counsel skills

Litigation, 12%
Legal Issues, 8%
Legal Advice, 8%
Intellectual Property, 5%
Risk Management, 4%
Ethics, 4%

Common housing counselor skills

Litigation, 10%
In-House Counsel, 8%
Social Work, 8%
Regulatory Compliance, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 5%
Real Estate, 4%

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General Counsel
General Counsel vs Housing Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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