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The differences between patent attorneys and trial 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 trial attorney. Additionally, a trial attorney has an average salary of $110,340, 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 trial attorney are litigation, legal research, and property damage.
| Patent Attorney | Trial Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $86,919 | $110,340 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $53.05 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,889 | 7,253 |
| 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.
Trial attorneys are responsible for representing and defending clients in court. Trial attorneys must have excellent legal research skills to assess pieces of evidence and examining relevant judicial decisions to support the client's claims. A trial attorney should also provide legal advice for the clients and guide them through the legal procedures depending on the severity of the case. Trial attorneys must be able to develop trial strategies and arguments in the court to win the judge and the trial jury's decision.
Patent attorneys and trial attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Attorney | Trial Attorney | |
| Average salary | $86,919 | $110,340 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $152,000 | Between $73,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Goodwin | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a patent attorney and a trial attorney in terms of educational background:
| Patent Attorney | Trial 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 trial attorneys' demographics:
| Patent Attorney | Trial Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% |
| 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, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |