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The differences between research attorneys and associate 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 research attorney and an associate attorney. Additionally, an associate attorney has an average salary of $110,053, which is higher than the $92,154 average annual salary of a research attorney.
The top three skills for a research attorney include litigation, legal issues and legal memoranda. The most important skills for an associate attorney are litigation, law firm, and discovery responses.
| Research Attorney | Associate Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $92,154 | $110,053 |
| Hourly rate | $44.30 | $52.91 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 52,731 | 9,183 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 54% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A research attorney researches laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, or other information related to cases before the court. They also review jury notes and opinions and judiciary notes. Their duties and responsibilities also include verifying that all files, complaints, or other papers are available and in the proper order.
An associate attorney's role is to provide legal counseling to an individual or business entity, resolve legal disputes through crafting agreements and negotiating contract terms, and serving as an advisor or advocate. Most associate attorneys work at law firms or government agencies, supervised by more experienced personnel. Among the duties of an associate attorney includes conducting extensive research on every case, presenting factual evidence and statements, producing the legal and necessary documentation, and representing clients in formal settings.
Research attorneys and associate attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Attorney | Associate Attorney | |
| Average salary | $92,154 | $110,053 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $146,000 | Between $70,000 And $170,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Schiff Hardin |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a research attorney and an associate attorney in terms of educational background:
| Research Attorney | Associate Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 54% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between research attorneys' and associate attorneys' demographics:
| Research Attorney | Associate Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3% | Male, 57.1% Female, 42.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |