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Litigation associate vs lawyer

The differences between litigation associates 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 litigation associate and a lawyer. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, which is higher than the $112,116 average annual salary of a litigation associate.

The top three skills for a litigation associate include litigation, law firm and legal research. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.

Litigation associate vs lawyer overview

Litigation AssociateLawyer
Yearly salary$112,116$115,808
Hourly rate$53.90$55.68
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs9,7792,897
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a litigation associate do?

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.

What does a lawyer do?

A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.

Litigation associate vs lawyer salary

Litigation associates and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Litigation AssociateLawyer
Average salary$112,116$115,808
Salary rangeBetween $68,000 And $182,000Between $64,000 And $208,000
Highest paying CityWhite Plains, NYWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyBryan Cave Leighton PaisnerNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best paying industryProfessional-

Differences between litigation associate and lawyer education

There are a few differences between a litigation associate and a lawyer in terms of educational background:

Litigation AssociateLawyer
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Litigation associate vs lawyer demographics

Here are the differences between litigation associates' and lawyers' demographics:

Litigation AssociateLawyer
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 52.4% Female, 47.6%Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%
Race ratioBlack 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%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 Percentage10%10%

Differences between litigation associate and lawyer duties and responsibilities

Litigation associate example responsibilities.

  • Lead and assist in out-of-court resolution of actions including settlement negotiations, mediation, and arbitration.
  • Manage all aspects of motion practice and discovery in class and institutional actions involving residential mortgage-backed securities investments.
  • Represent immigrants in deportation proceedings, federal litigation and appeals.
  • Participate in complex commercial litigation group, with matters involving insurance, entertainment, products liability, utilities and investment banking.
  • Research various aspects of family law, civil procedure, and tort law.
  • Ensure business compliance with FDCPA, HIPAA, ADA, and various other regulations.
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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.
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Litigation associate vs lawyer skills

Common litigation associate skills
  • Litigation, 28%
  • Law Firm, 11%
  • Legal Research, 6%
  • Commercial Litigation, 5%
  • Discovery Motions, 3%
  • Insurance Coverage, 3%
Common lawyer skills
  • Litigation, 14%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Legal Issues, 7%
  • Real Estate, 6%
  • Legal Research, 6%
  • Civil Law, 5%