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The differences between patent attorneys and associate 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 attorney and an associate attorney. Additionally, an associate attorney has an average salary of $110,053, which is higher than the $86,919 average annual salary of a patent attorney.
The top three skills for a patent attorney include electrical engineering, USPTO and law firm. The most important skills for an associate attorney are litigation, law firm, and discovery responses.
| Patent Attorney | Associate Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $86,919 | $110,053 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $52.91 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,889 | 9,183 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A patent attorney is an intellectual property expert whose responsibilities revolve around assisting and representing clients on patent application procedures. A patent attorney must meet with clients to identify their needs, provide advice when it comes to trademarks and trade secrets, discuss and interpret complex subjects such as regulations and laws, and secure rights and properties. Furthermore, as a patent attorney, it is essential to review and negotiate contracts and proposals to avoid disputes in the future.
An associate attorney's role is to provide legal counseling to an individual or business entity, resolve legal disputes through crafting agreements and negotiating contract terms, and serving as an advisor or advocate. Most associate attorneys work at law firms or government agencies, supervised by more experienced personnel. Among the duties of an associate attorney includes conducting extensive research on every case, presenting factual evidence and statements, producing the legal and necessary documentation, and representing clients in formal settings.
Patent attorneys and associate attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Attorney | Associate Attorney | |
| Average salary | $86,919 | $110,053 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $152,000 | Between $70,000 And $170,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Goodwin | Schiff Hardin |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a patent attorney and an associate attorney in terms of educational background:
| Patent Attorney | Associate Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between patent attorneys' and associate attorneys' demographics:
| Patent Attorney | Associate Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 57.1% Female, 42.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.3% 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, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |