Post job

Research attorney vs document review attorney

The differences between research attorneys and document review 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 document review attorney. Additionally, a research attorney has an average salary of $92,154, which is higher than the $81,181 average annual salary of a document review attorney.

The top three skills for a research attorney include litigation, legal issues and legal memoranda. The most important skills for a document review attorney are litigation, complex litigation, and e-discovery software.

Research attorney vs document review attorney overview

Research AttorneyDocument Review Attorney
Yearly salary$92,154$81,181
Hourly rate$44.30$39.03
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs52,7319,393
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 54%Doctoral Degree, 60%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a research attorney do?

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.

What does a document review attorney do?

A Document Review Attorney reviews various types of legal documents, such as contract and employment law, intellectual property, and commercial litigation, to identify any areas of risk or information that may need correction.

Research attorney vs document review attorney salary

Research attorneys and document review attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.

Research AttorneyDocument Review Attorney
Average salary$92,154$81,181
Salary rangeBetween $58,000 And $146,000Between $48,000 And $134,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyAirbnbCooley
Best paying industryProfessionalProfessional

Differences between research attorney and document review attorney education

There are a few differences between a research attorney and a document review attorney in terms of educational background:

Research AttorneyDocument Review Attorney
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 54%Doctoral Degree, 60%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Research attorney vs document review attorney demographics

Here are the differences between research attorneys' and document review attorneys' demographics:

Research AttorneyDocument Review Attorney
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 43.7% Female, 56.3%Male, 56.7% Female, 43.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between research attorney and document review attorney duties and responsibilities

Research attorney example responsibilities.

  • Supervise and manage plaintiff's personal injury practice.
  • Conduct legal research for criminal trials and appeals.
  • Review and analyze deeds, leases, probate records, mortgages, mineral reservations, and other applicable legal instruments.
  • Focus on: personal injury, probate, estate planning, construction contracts and liens, domestic relations, etc.
  • Perform legal research and prepare research memos in various litigation matters.
  • Practice focuse in all areas of tort litigation including catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, and product liability.
  • Show more

Document review attorney example responsibilities.

  • Advise client in requirements to achieve and maintain critical FCPA compliance.
  • Manage privilege log development (including extensive line drafting) and final production processes consistent with technical litigation requirements.
  • Complete electronic discovery review and analyze whether the documents are responsive, privilege or non responsive for pending products liability litigation
  • Draft claims of invalidity, injunctions, and appeals.
  • Support litigation teams on various matters, including antitrust and DOJ investigations.
  • Examine discovery production to determine compliance with HIPAA and make redactions when appropriate.
  • Show more

Research attorney vs document review attorney skills

Common research attorney skills
  • Litigation, 17%
  • Legal Issues, 12%
  • Legal Memoranda, 9%
  • Appeals, 7%
  • Legal Support, 5%
  • Probate, 5%
Common document review attorney skills
  • Litigation, 32%
  • Complex Litigation, 7%
  • E-Discovery Software, 6%
  • Law Firm, 6%
  • QC, 5%
  • Attorney-Client Privilege, 5%