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What is a trial attorney and how to become one
If you've ever been interested in being in the court for a trial, there's no better seat in the house than the trial attorney's seat. As a trial attorney, your responsibility is to argue your client's case to the judge and jury. There is a small price to pay for the best seat in the house though.
To become a trial attorney, generally, you need a bachelor's degree followed up with three years of law school. If you finish your bachelor's degree in the typical four years then you're looking at seven years of school. The work doesn't stop once you've completed school. While typically trial attorney's are billed for 40-50 hours of work a week, they usually end up working 60-70 hours a week.
What general advice would you give to a trial attorney?
Hanna Royce
Assistant Dean of Career Services, University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law
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.
Avg. Salary $110,340
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 10%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%
Asian 6.36%
Black or African American 5.53%
Hispanic or Latino 7.75%
Unknown 4.37%
White 75.69%
Genderfemale 33.77%
male 66.23%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Trial attorney career paths
Key steps to become a trial attorney
Explore trial attorney education requirements
Start to develop specific trial attorney skills
Skills Percentages Litigation 20.55% Legal Research 8.42% Property Damage 7.17% Legal Advice 5.81% Legal Issues 5.76% Complete relevant trial attorney training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New trial 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 trial attorney based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real trial attorney resumes.Research trial attorney duties and responsibilities
- Lead trial attorney in general practice litigation firm managing a diverse portfolio of cases representing individuals face with difficult legal problems.
- Recommend initiation of litigation and appeals.
- Research and draft numerous criminal appeals and perform oral arguments in defense thereof.
- Conduct trials in complex class action litigation involving cemetery claims of allege mistreatment of remains and emotional distress without bodily injury.
Prepare your trial attorney resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your trial 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 trial 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 trial attorney resume templates
Build a professional trial 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 trial attorney resume.
Apply for trial attorney jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a trial attorney job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first trial attorney job
Are you a trial attorney?
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Average trial attorney salary
The average trial attorney salary in the United States is $110,340 per year or $53 per hour. Trial attorney salaries range between $73,000 and $166,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do trial attorneys rate their job?
Trial attorney reviews
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).
Billing hours. Unscrupulous opposing counsel. Occasional biased judges who do not follow the law.
Updated January 8, 2025
