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The differences between patent agents 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 patent agent and a contract attorney. Additionally, a contract attorney has an average salary of $97,474, which is higher than the $65,466 average annual salary of a patent agent.
The top three skills for a patent agent include intellectual property, patent prosecution and law firm. The most important skills for a contract attorney are litigation, e-discovery, and legal research.
| Patent Agent | Contract Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $65,466 | $97,474 |
| Hourly rate | $31.47 | $46.86 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 25,562 | 13,592 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A patent agent is responsible for monitoring the intellectual property rights of an existing patent invention and ensuring that new applications would not coincide with any registered patent. Patent agents handle the application processes and document verification for individuals or the government. They conduct in-depth research and discuss the process with the investors and inform them of any restrictions on issuance. A patent agent must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in performing duties and resolving issues timely and efficiently.
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.
Patent agents and contract attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Agent | Contract Attorney | |
| Average salary | $65,466 | $97,474 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $124,000 | Between $60,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Ramon, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a patent agent and a contract attorney in terms of educational background:
| Patent Agent | Contract Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between patent agents' and contract attorneys' demographics:
| Patent Agent | Contract Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% 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% |