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The differences between research attorneys and contract 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 a contract attorney. Additionally, a contract attorney has an average salary of $97,474, 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 a contract attorney are litigation, e-discovery, and legal research.
| Research Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $92,154 | $97,474 |
| Hourly rate | $44.30 | $46.86 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 52,731 | 13,592 |
| 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.
A contract attorney is responsible for handling their clients' legal issues and settling cases by researching, analyzing, and collecting essential files that would support the clients' claims. Contract attorneys usually work for private clients without being permanently employed in a law firm or government agency. Contract attorneys represent clients at court, assist with law proceedings, and advise clients for the necessary legal procedures. A contract attorney must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills to manage client legal matters and expertise in traditional disciplines and processes.
Research attorneys and contract attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Average salary | $92,154 | $97,474 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $146,000 | Between $60,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Ramon, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a research attorney and a contract attorney in terms of educational background:
| Research Attorney | Contract 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 contract attorneys' demographics:
| Research Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| 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, 75.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |