Post job

Intellectual property lawyer vs attorney

The differences between intellectual property lawyers and attorneys can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an intellectual property lawyer and an attorney. Additionally, an attorney has an average salary of $109,476, which is higher than the $82,730 average annual salary of an intellectual property lawyer.

The top three skills for an intellectual property lawyer include litigation, legal advice and due diligence. The most important skills for an attorney are litigation, legal research, and law firm.

Intellectual property lawyer vs attorney overview

Intellectual Property LawyerAttorney
Yearly salary$82,730$109,476
Hourly rate$39.77$52.63
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs9,80110,991
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Doctoral Degree, 48%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does an intellectual property lawyer do?

An intellectual property (IP) lawyer is a licensed professional who is responsible for protecting a client's intellectual property as well as provide counseling about matters concerning intellectual property. Intellectual property lawyers are required to review or produce important documents and complete the analysis of highly technical materials. They prepare documents so that they can attain patents and trademarks for their client's intellectual property. Intellectual property lawyers are also required to defend businesses and individuals against the over-assertion of intellectual properties.

What does an attorney do?

Generally, an attorney's responsibility is to advise the client with an ongoing lawsuit on the legal procedures and provide strategies to resolve the case as early as possible. An attorney compiles necessary documents or any records for appeal and client's defense. Attorneys must acquire strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to mediate disputes and settle pending litigation for the client's best interest. In some cases, an attorney's procedure depends on any evidence and research presented during the trial period. An attorney is expected to present clients on legal proceedings, seeking justice and justifying the law.

Intellectual property lawyer vs attorney salary

Intellectual property lawyers and attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.

Intellectual Property LawyerAttorney
Average salary$82,730$109,476
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $168,000Between $69,000 And $172,000
Highest paying CityDanvers, MAWhite Plains, NY
Highest paying stateMassachusettsNew York
Best paying companySeyfarth ShawThompson Coburn
Best paying industry--

Differences between intellectual property lawyer and attorney education

There are a few differences between an intellectual property lawyer and an attorney in terms of educational background:

Intellectual Property LawyerAttorney
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Doctoral Degree, 48%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Intellectual property lawyer vs attorney demographics

Here are the differences between intellectual property lawyers' and attorneys' demographics:

Intellectual Property LawyerAttorney
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 66.5% Female, 33.5%Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between intellectual property lawyer and attorney duties and responsibilities

Intellectual property lawyer example responsibilities.

  • Develop and implement an agency-wide client privacy policy and manage agency response to all matters involving subpoenas and warrants.
  • Prepare, file and prosecute trademark applications with the USPTO.
  • Prepare, file, and prosecute patent and trademark applications before the USPTO and foreign patent offices.
  • Reduce expenses and identify litigation targets through review and pruning of existing patent portfolio.
  • Work on drafting and prosecution of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and chemical patent applications
  • Prepare and prosecute U.S. and international patent applications in the pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, chemicals, materials and mechanical arts.
  • Show more

Attorney example responsibilities.

  • Manage the death administration department with approximately thirty-five plus estates through trust administration, Medicaid estate recovery or probate.
  • Respond to subpoenas and pleadings in litigation and in regulatory inquiries and investigations involving corporate clients.
  • Represent employers before federal administrative agencies, including inspections, administrative litigation, court-enforcement actions and appeals.
  • Litigate personal injury, and general liability matters, worker's compensation, estate planning and litigation, environmental liability litigation.
  • Create and give a presentation regarding non- attorney ethics to division staff.
  • Comply with all agency policies and procedures, including those pertaining to ethics and integrity
  • Show more

Intellectual property lawyer vs attorney skills

Common intellectual property lawyer skills
  • Litigation, 14%
  • Legal Advice, 9%
  • Due Diligence, 8%
  • Legal Issues, 8%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Intellectual Property Law, 6%
Common attorney skills
  • Litigation, 19%
  • Legal Research, 9%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Legal Issues, 6%
  • Legal Advice, 5%
  • Juris, 4%