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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 | Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $82,730 | $109,476 |
| Hourly rate | $39.77 | $52.63 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 9,801 | 10,991 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Doctoral Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
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 lawyers and attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Intellectual Property Lawyer | Attorney | |
| Average salary | $82,730 | $109,476 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $168,000 | Between $69,000 And $172,000 |
| Highest paying City | Danvers, MA | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Seyfarth Shaw | Thompson Coburn |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an intellectual property lawyer and an attorney in terms of educational background:
| Intellectual Property Lawyer | Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Doctoral Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between intellectual property lawyers' and attorneys' demographics:
| Intellectual Property Lawyer | Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.5% Female, 33.5% | Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 Percentage | 10% | 10% |