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Legal researcher vs attorney

The differences between legal researchers 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 researcher and an attorney. Additionally, an attorney has an average salary of $109,476, which is higher than the $49,342 average annual salary of a legal researcher.

The top three skills for a legal researcher include litigation, legal issues and in-house counsel. The most important skills for an attorney are litigation, legal research, and law firm.

Legal researcher vs attorney overview

Legal ResearcherAttorney
Yearly salary$49,342$109,476
Hourly rate$23.72$52.63
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs10,65910,991
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Doctoral Degree, 48%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

Legal researcher vs attorney salary

Legal researchers and attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.

Legal ResearcherAttorney
Average salary$49,342$109,476
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $106,000Between $69,000 And $172,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MAWhite Plains, NY
Highest paying stateMassachusettsNew York
Best paying companySimpson Thacher & BartlettThompson Coburn
Best paying industry--

Differences between legal researcher and attorney education

There are a few differences between a legal researcher and an attorney in terms of educational background:

Legal ResearcherAttorney
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Doctoral Degree, 48%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Legal researcher vs attorney demographics

Here are the differences between legal researchers' and attorneys' demographics:

Legal ResearcherAttorney
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 47.0% Female, 53.0%Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1%
Race ratioBlack 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%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 legal researcher and attorney duties and responsibilities

Legal researcher example responsibilities.

  • Create PowerPoint presentation used to train staff on managing copyright and trademark infringement risk.
  • Assist in all aspects of discovery including drafting and responding to document requests, interrogatories, requests-for-admission and third party subpoenas.
  • Research and complete memos on unsettle questions in Hawaii probate law
  • Edit manuscripts submit by outside authors for publication in BNA portfolios on subjects in corporate law.
  • Research depositions, interrogatories, exposure assessment literature and medical reports.
  • Ensure data integrity while fulfilling request on behalf of company litigation team.
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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
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Legal researcher vs attorney skills

Common legal researcher skills
  • Litigation, 11%
  • Legal Issues, 8%
  • In-House Counsel, 5%
  • Real Estate, 5%
  • Civil Law, 5%
  • Legal Memoranda, 4%
Common attorney skills
  • Litigation, 19%
  • Legal Research, 9%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Legal Issues, 6%
  • Legal Advice, 5%
  • Juris, 4%