Post job

Tax attorney vs litigation associate

The differences between tax attorneys and litigation associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a tax attorney and a litigation associate. Additionally, a litigation associate has an average salary of $112,116, which is higher than the $85,681 average annual salary of a tax attorney.

The top three skills for a tax attorney include litigation, law firm and real estate. The most important skills for a litigation associate are litigation, law firm, and legal research.

Tax attorney vs litigation associate overview

Tax AttorneyLitigation Associate
Yearly salary$85,681$112,116
Hourly rate$41.19$53.90
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs33,7609,779
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 42%Doctoral Degree, 56%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a tax attorney do?

A tax attorney specializes in assisting clients in understanding tax laws. Their responsibilities typically revolve around conducting extensive research, meeting with clients to conduct initial assessments and interviews, understanding their needs, and helping them make business decisions by providing legal taxation advice. A tax attorney may also help clients to find ways to minimize their tax deductions. Furthermore, aside from working with individuals, a tax attorney may also work for companies as part of their legal team.

What does a litigation associate do?

A Litigation Associate offers legal advice for individuals involved in lawsuits and represents them in court. They prepare pleading, collect evidence, defend depositions, and manage the client database.

Tax attorney vs litigation associate salary

Tax attorneys and litigation associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Tax AttorneyLitigation Associate
Average salary$85,681$112,116
Salary rangeBetween $50,000 And $146,000Between $68,000 And $182,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWhite Plains, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyAkin Gump Strauss Hauer & FeldBryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between tax attorney and litigation associate education

There are a few differences between a tax attorney and a litigation associate in terms of educational background:

Tax AttorneyLitigation Associate
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 42%Doctoral Degree, 56%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaStanford University

Tax attorney vs litigation associate demographics

Here are the differences between tax attorneys' and litigation associates' demographics:

Tax AttorneyLitigation Associate
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 62.7% Female, 37.3%Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between tax attorney and litigation associate duties and responsibilities

Tax attorney example responsibilities.

  • Manage the death administration department with approximately thirty-five plus estates through trust administration, Medicaid estate recovery or probate.
  • Review IRS propose regulations, advisory letters and technical advice memorandums for tax litigation.
  • Probate practice - estates and protect individuals.
  • Participate in legal document review and compliance for large complex civil litigation matters.
  • Represent individual and institutional clients in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate acquisition, financing and leasing and foreclosure.
  • Handle all aspects of discovery including preparing interrogatories, document requests, taking and defending depositions and responding to discovery requests.

Litigation associate example responsibilities.

  • Lead and assist in out-of-court resolution of actions including settlement negotiations, mediation, and arbitration.
  • Manage all aspects of motion practice and discovery in class and institutional actions involving residential mortgage-backed securities investments.
  • Represent immigrants in deportation proceedings, federal litigation and appeals.
  • Participate in complex commercial litigation group, with matters involving insurance, entertainment, products liability, utilities and investment banking.
  • Research various aspects of family law, civil procedure, and tort law.
  • Ensure business compliance with FDCPA, HIPAA, ADA, and various other regulations.
  • Show more

Tax attorney vs litigation associate skills

Common tax attorney skills
  • Litigation, 13%
  • Law Firm, 12%
  • Real Estate, 8%
  • Taxation, 5%
  • International Tax, 4%
  • IRS, 4%
Common litigation associate skills
  • Litigation, 28%
  • Law Firm, 11%
  • Legal Research, 6%
  • Commercial Litigation, 5%
  • Discovery Motions, 3%
  • Insurance Coverage, 3%