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The differences between patent attorneys and district 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 a district attorney. Additionally, a patent attorney has an average salary of $86,919, which is higher than the $72,965 average annual salary of a district attorney.
The top three skills for a patent attorney include electrical engineering, USPTO and law firm. The most important skills for a district attorney are pre-trial conferences, legal research, and law enforcement agencies.
| Patent Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $86,919 | $72,965 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $35.08 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,889 | 13,378 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's 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.
District attorneys represent the government in court and prepare criminal prosecution cases. Besides partnering on criminal investigations and evaluating police reports, district attorneys also consult with alleged perpetrators, law enforcement, and judges. They uphold professional ethics, abide by the country's prosecution laws, and supervise and guide legal clerks and associates. Moreover, district attorneys prepare and file pre-trial motions, study case law, and gather enough evidence needed to prosecute alleged perpetrators in the court. Also, they assess legal merits to bring criminal charges against the alleged perpetrators.
Patent attorneys and district attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Average salary | $86,919 | $72,965 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $152,000 | Between $49,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Goodwin | Ventura County Community Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a patent attorney and a district attorney in terms of educational background:
| Patent Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between patent attorneys' and district attorneys' demographics:
| Patent Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% |
| 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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |