Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between legal editors and contract 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 a contract attorney. Additionally, a contract attorney has an average salary of $97,474, 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 a contract attorney are litigation, e-discovery, and legal research.
| Legal Editor | Contract Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $58,985 | $97,474 |
| Hourly rate | $28.36 | $46.86 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 9,277 | 13,592 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| 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.
A contract attorney is responsible for handling their clients' legal issues and settling cases by researching, analyzing, and collecting essential files that would support the clients' claims. Contract attorneys usually work for private clients without being permanently employed in a law firm or government agency. Contract attorneys represent clients at court, assist with law proceedings, and advise clients for the necessary legal procedures. A contract attorney must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills to manage client legal matters and expertise in traditional disciplines and processes.
Legal editors and contract attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Legal Editor | Contract Attorney | |
| Average salary | $58,985 | $97,474 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $103,000 | Between $60,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Ramon, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a legal editor and a contract attorney in terms of educational background:
| Legal Editor | Contract Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between legal editors' and contract attorneys' demographics:
| Legal Editor | Contract Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.3% Female, 62.7% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| 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, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |