Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between legal editors 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 a legal editor and an attorney. Additionally, an attorney has an average salary of $109,476, which is higher than the $58,985 average annual salary of a legal editor.
The top three skills for a legal editor include law firm, legal issues and legal analysis. The most important skills for an attorney are litigation, legal research, and law firm.
| Legal Editor | Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $58,985 | $109,476 |
| Hourly rate | $28.36 | $52.63 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 9,277 | 10,991 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Doctoral Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A legal editor is responsible for editing executive orders and resolutions, copyreads and proofreads a government or a company's publication. They also ensure that all pertinent documentation is under the policies and standards of an organization, company, or law firm. This career includes having sufficient organizational and management skills, very keen on details, output-oriented, and good at decision making. Also, there are some legal editors who serve as managers in a law firm or company's social media.
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.
Legal editors and attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Legal Editor | Attorney | |
| Average salary | $58,985 | $109,476 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $103,000 | Between $69,000 And $172,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | New York |
| Best paying company | - | Thompson Coburn |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a legal editor and an attorney in terms of educational background:
| Legal Editor | Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Doctoral Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between legal editors' and attorneys' demographics:
| Legal Editor | Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.3% Female, 62.7% | 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, 75.7% 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% |