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What is a project attorney and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Hanna Royce
The average project attorney salary is $84,138. The most common degree is a doctoral degree degree with an law major. It usually takes 2-4 years of experience to become a project attorney. Project attorneys with a Certified International Trade Law Specialist (CITLS) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 10% and produce 80,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a project attorney?

Hanna Royce

Assistant Dean of Career Services, University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law

Graduates should keep their network active. This includes them taking the time to re-engage with the members of their network on a regular basis and continuing to make new contacts. They should make it a priority to stay in touch with their classmates and professors. They might be looking for a new position in the future, and their legal network can help them locate opportunities through the hidden job market.

Many graduates are securing remote positions. To be successful in a remote environment, employees need to make the extra effort to communicate and stay connected with colleagues. Even when employees are telecommuting, they should dress as if they are going into the office. This can help them with productivity and illustrate their professionalism when meeting with colleagues or clients.
ScoreProject AttorneyUS Average
Salary
6.6

Avg. Salary $84,138

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 6.51%

Black or African American 5.69%

Hispanic or Latino 7.92%

Unknown 4.40%

White 75.18%

Gender

female 50.80%

male 49.20%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Project attorney career paths

Key steps to become a project attorney

  1. Explore project attorney education requirements

    Most common project attorney degrees

    Doctorate

    56.7 %

    Bachelor's

    36.9 %

    Master's

    5.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific project attorney skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Litigation25.39%
    E-Discovery12.90%
    Legal Research6.58%
    Privilege Logs5.43%
    Due Diligence5.00%
  3. Complete relevant project attorney training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New project attorneys learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a project attorney based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real project attorney resumes.
  4. Research project attorney duties and responsibilities

    • Advise client in requirements to achieve and maintain critical FCPA compliance.
    • Perform electronic document review for complex litigation matters involving product liability claims, environmental and toxic torts, and securities fraud.
    • Review and analyze e-discovery responses in complex mortgage-backed securities litigation
    • Represent individual and institutional clients in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate acquisition, financing and leasing and foreclosure.
  5. Prepare your project attorney resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your project attorney resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a project attorney resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable project attorney resume templates

    Build a professional project attorney resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your project attorney resume.
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    Project Attorney Resume
  6. Apply for project attorney jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a project attorney job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first project attorney job

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Average project attorney salary

The average project attorney salary in the United States is $84,138 per year or $40 per hour. Project attorney salaries range between $50,000 and $140,000 per year.

Average project attorney salary
$84,138 Yearly
$40.45 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do project attorneys rate their job?

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Project attorney reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019
Pros

As a civil litigation defense attorney I love the fact that every day is different. I enjoy assisting clients who have a problem to solve that problem in the most cost effective way, and how to avoid such problems in the future. I like that I basically set my own work schedule (other than court dates).

Cons

Billing hours. Unscrupulous opposing counsel. Occasional biased judges who do not follow the law.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.