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The differences between patent attorneys and attorneys at law 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 attorney at law. Additionally, an attorney at law has an average salary of $108,018, 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 attorney at law are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| Patent Attorney | Attorney At Law | |
| Yearly salary | $86,919 | $108,018 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $51.93 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,889 | 7,025 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Doctoral Degree, 52% |
| 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 Attorney at Law is responsible for preparing and examining contracts involving leases, licenses, purchases, sales, etc. They advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, or legal rights and obligations.
Patent attorneys and attorneys at law have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Attorney | Attorney At Law | |
| Average salary | $86,919 | $108,018 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $152,000 | Between $69,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Goodwin | White and Williams |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Retail |
There are a few differences between a patent attorney and an attorney at law in terms of educational background:
| Patent Attorney | Attorney At Law | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Doctoral Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between patent attorneys' and attorneys at law' demographics:
| Patent Attorney | Attorney At Law | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% |
| 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% |