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The differences between patent attorneys and litigation associates 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 litigation associate. Additionally, a litigation associate has an average salary of $112,116, 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 a litigation associate are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| Patent Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $86,919 | $112,116 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $53.90 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,889 | 9,779 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| 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.
A Litigation Associate offers legal advice for individuals involved in lawsuits and represents them in court. They prepare pleading, collect evidence, defend depositions, and manage the client database.
Patent attorneys and litigation associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Average salary | $86,919 | $112,116 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $152,000 | Between $68,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Goodwin | Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a patent attorney and a litigation associate in terms of educational background:
| Patent Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between patent attorneys' and litigation associates' demographics:
| Patent Attorney | Litigation Associate | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% |
| 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, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |