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The differences between judges and litigation associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a judge, becoming a litigation associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a judge has an average salary of $123,457, which is higher than the $112,116 average annual salary of a litigation associate.
The top three skills for a judge include legal issues, civil law and international law. The most important skills for a litigation associate are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| Judge | Litigation Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $123,457 | $112,116 |
| Hourly rate | $59.35 | $53.90 |
| Growth rate | -1% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 1,026 | 9,779 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 4 |
Judges are officials who conduct court proceedings. They sign arrest and search warrants, restraining orders, subpoenas, etc. When working on a case, the judges decide if the accused should be set free or sent to jail based on the presented evidence. They should be unbiased when listening to witnesses and examining evidence. They must show compassion and understanding to both sides and keep in mind that justice means more than just knowing the law. Additionally, their goal should only be finding the truth.
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.
Judges and litigation associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Judge | Litigation Associate | |
| Average salary | $123,457 | $112,116 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $222,000 | Between $68,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jacksonville, FL | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | New York |
| Best paying company | United States Courts | Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner |
| Best paying industry | Media | Professional |
There are a few differences between a judge and a litigation associate in terms of educational background:
| Judge | Litigation Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between judges' and litigation associates' demographics:
| Judge | Litigation Associate | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.3% Female, 49.7% | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.7% 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% |