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Patent analyst vs staff attorney

The differences between patent analysts and staff 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 analyst and a staff attorney. Additionally, a staff attorney has an average salary of $110,028, which is higher than the $77,926 average annual salary of a patent analyst.

The top three skills for a patent analyst include search reports, technical aspects and medical devices. The most important skills for a staff attorney are litigation, legal services, and juris.

Patent analyst vs staff attorney overview

Patent AnalystStaff Attorney
Yearly salary$77,926$110,028
Hourly rate$37.46$52.90
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs32875,402
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Doctoral Degree, 56%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a patent analyst do?

Being a patent analyst involves comparing products that are already in the market to new inventions and innovations. You will be responsible for ensuring and upholding government assurance of the originality and ownership of an invention. Patent analysis involves the examination of every aspect of an invention, including the blueprints, the pieces, the assembly, the raw material used, and etc. The role requires the evaluation of uses and specifications of an invention, classification, and then a written report based on the analysis.

What does a staff attorney do?

Staff Attorneys are legal employees who work for a variety of organizations, often as full-time employees. They use their legal expertise to help deal with day-to-day legal issues with which their organization needs regular assistance.

Patent analyst vs staff attorney salary

Patent analysts and staff attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.

Patent AnalystStaff Attorney
Average salary$77,926$110,028
Salary rangeBetween $46,000 And $129,000Between $69,000 And $173,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateMassachusettsCalifornia
Best paying companyMorrison & FoersterNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best paying industryTechnologyProfessional

Differences between patent analyst and staff attorney education

There are a few differences between a patent analyst and a staff attorney in terms of educational background:

Patent AnalystStaff Attorney
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Doctoral Degree, 56%
Most common majorMechanical EngineeringLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Patent analyst vs staff attorney demographics

Here are the differences between patent analysts' and staff attorneys' demographics:

Patent AnalystStaff Attorney
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 71.6% Female, 28.4%Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.8% 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, 75.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between patent analyst and staff attorney duties and responsibilities

Patent analyst example responsibilities.

  • Manage and provide responses to incoming subpoenas and discovery requests relating to underwriting files and policy and accounting information.
  • Conduct invalidation search, freedom-to-operate search and landscape studies in USPTO, EPO, WIPO and Chinese patent database SIPO
  • Perform patentability, invalidity, freedom to operate (FTO), and evidence of use searches.
  • Evaluate complex patent portfolios for licensing value and litigation suitability.
  • Review completed applications for compliance with USPTO contract and quality requirements.
  • Manage and provide responses to incoming subpoenas and discovery requests relating to underwriting files and policy and accounting information.
  • Show more

Staff attorney example responsibilities.

  • Generate an internal memorandum exploring VAWA and special immigrant juvenile cases that lead to the establishment of a new clinic program.
  • Provide statewide training for attorneys and advocates on education law and also responsible for major impact education litigation and appeals.
  • Create and conduct workshops on e-discovery, privilege, FMLA, ADA, and FLSA
  • Conduct internal FLSA (wage and hour) compliance and re-classification audits for pre-complaint resolution.
  • General practice attorney handling primarily bankruptcy, domestic relations and criminal cases, preparation of wills and trusts and probate.
  • Draft wills, powers of attorney, probate estate administration filings, divorce filings, caregiver contracts, and property deeds.
  • Show more

Patent analyst vs staff attorney skills

Common patent analyst skills
  • Search Reports, 19%
  • Technical Aspects, 11%
  • Medical Devices, 7%
  • USPTO, 7%
  • Mechanical Engineering, 6%
  • Freedom-To-Operate, 6%
Common staff attorney skills
  • Litigation, 17%
  • Legal Services, 8%
  • Juris, 7%
  • Legal Advice, 6%
  • Appeals, 4%
  • Administrative Agencies, 4%