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Patent attorney vs senior attorney

The differences between patent attorneys and senior 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 senior attorney. Additionally, a senior attorney has an average salary of $111,002, 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 senior attorney are litigation, law firm, and legal advice.

Patent attorney vs senior attorney overview

Patent AttorneySenior Attorney
Yearly salary$86,919$111,002
Hourly rate$41.79$53.37
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs7,88910,445
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Doctoral Degree, 53%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a patent attorney do?

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.

What does a senior attorney do?

A Senior Attorney supervises all activities of junior attorneys and deals with all complex legal transactions. They identify legal issues and offer businesses and their customers optimum solutions, as well as ensure that businesses respond appropriately to any legislative changes.

Patent attorney vs senior attorney salary

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

Patent AttorneySenior Attorney
Average salary$86,919$111,002
Salary rangeBetween $49,000 And $152,000Between $67,000 And $183,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateMassachusettsCalifornia
Best paying companyGoodwinClifford Chance
Best paying industryProfessionalProfessional

Differences between patent attorney and senior attorney education

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

Patent AttorneySenior Attorney
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Doctoral Degree, 53%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Patent attorney vs senior attorney demographics

Here are the differences between patent attorneys' and senior attorneys' demographics:

Patent AttorneySenior Attorney
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 79.3% Female, 20.7%Male, 60.1% Female, 39.9%
Race ratioBlack 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, 7.6% Asian, 6.2% White, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between patent attorney and senior attorney duties and responsibilities

Patent attorney example responsibilities.

  • Advise client in requirements to achieve and maintain critical FCPA compliance.
  • Conduct extensive legal research and prepare pleadings, discovery requests and responses and motions in trademark and copyright litigation matters.
  • Conduct trademark oppositions, cancellations and appeals before TTAB.
  • Review and execute infringement and invalidity analyses for patents relating to telecommunications and call routing in support of major infringement litigation.
  • Represent individual and institutional clients in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate acquisition, financing and leasing and foreclosure.
  • Handle subpoenas, discovery requests, and occasionally legal research to provide counsel to senior attorneys regarding statutory and regulatory issues.

Senior attorney example responsibilities.

  • Manage and respond to corporate subpoenas including drafting appropriate objections and preparing witnesses for deposition.
  • Manage the death administration department with approximately thirty-five plus estates through trust administration, Medicaid estate recovery or probate.
  • Draft charging instruments, pleadings, subpoenas, consent agreements, orders and other documents pertaining to administrative enforcement litigation proceedings.
  • Experience litigation attorney, with emphasis on management of civil and matrimonial litigation, from initial interview through trial or settlement.
  • Communicate with client and insurance carriers concerning the progress of the litigation and provide recommendations regarding settlement or other claim resolution.
  • Represent individual and institutional clients in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate acquisition, financing and leasing and foreclosure.
  • Show more

Patent attorney vs senior attorney skills

Common patent attorney skills
  • Electrical Engineering, 15%
  • USPTO, 13%
  • Law Firm, 11%
  • Litigation, 8%
  • Patent Prosecution, 8%
  • Intellectual Property Law, 6%
Common senior attorney skills
  • Litigation, 14%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Legal Advice, 8%
  • Juris, 7%
  • Legal Research, 7%
  • Legal Support, 4%