Legal researcher vs lawyer

The differences between legal researchers and lawyers 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 a lawyer. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, 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 a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.

Legal researcher vs lawyer overview

	Legal Researcher	Lawyer
Yearly salary	$49,342	$115,808
Hourly rate	$23.72	$55.68
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	10,659	2,897
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Legal researcher vs lawyer salary

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

	Legal Researcher	Lawyer
Average salary	$49,342	$115,808
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $106,000	Between $64,000 And $208,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New York
Best paying company	Simpson Thacher & Bartlett	Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between legal researcher and lawyer education

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

	Legal Researcher	Lawyer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Law	Law
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Legal researcher vs lawyer demographics

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

	Legal Researcher	Lawyer
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0%	Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between legal researcher and lawyer 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.

Lawyer example responsibilities.

Participate in drafting legal documents and prepare business contracts, perform taxation duties for the enterprise and settle disputes with employees.
Handle all types of civil claims and provide notary services
Review of complaints relate to judicial ethics and employee misconduct.
Draft, proofread and ensure filing and service of criminal motions.
Draft a variety of pleadings and motions on behalf of the plaintiff.
Assist clients at the notary public office and negotiate licensing agreements for virtual data rooms.

Legal researcher vs lawyer skills

Common legal researcher skills

Litigation, 11%
Legal Issues, 8%
In-House Counsel, 5%
Real Estate, 5%
Civil Law, 5%
Legal Memoranda, 4%

Common lawyer skills

Litigation, 14%
Law Firm, 8%
Legal Issues, 7%
Real Estate, 6%
Legal Research, 6%
Civil Law, 5%