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The differences between trial attorneys and assistant counsels can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a trial attorney and an assistant counsel. Additionally, a trial attorney has an average salary of $110,340, which is higher than the $61,229 average annual salary of an assistant counsel.
The top three skills for a trial attorney include litigation, legal research and property damage. The most important skills for an assistant counsel are litigation, legal issues, and legal advice.
| Trial Attorney | Assistant Counsel | |
| Yearly salary | $110,340 | $61,229 |
| Hourly rate | $53.05 | $29.44 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,253 | 8,574 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Trial attorneys are responsible for representing and defending clients in court. Trial attorneys must have excellent legal research skills to assess pieces of evidence and examining relevant judicial decisions to support the client's claims. A trial attorney should also provide legal advice for the clients and guide them through the legal procedures depending on the severity of the case. Trial attorneys must be able to develop trial strategies and arguments in the court to win the judge and the trial jury's decision.
Assistant counsels are legal professionals who research and analyze various laws so they can apply them to the different legal issues that arose in a corporation. These counsels must develop an agency-wide client privacy policy and manage responses to all matters involving subpoenas and warrants. They advise other departments for legal claims related to the right of privacy and publicity as well as defamation. Assistant counsels are also required to act as labor attorneys for employees facing internal discrimination suits while dealing with FMLA, ERISA, and HIPAA issues.
Trial attorneys and assistant counsels have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Trial Attorney | Assistant Counsel | |
| Average salary | $110,340 | $61,229 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $166,000 | Between $36,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | Baltimore City Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Government |
There are a few differences between a trial attorney and an assistant counsel in terms of educational background:
| Trial Attorney | Assistant Counsel | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between trial attorneys' and assistant counsels' demographics:
| Trial Attorney | Assistant Counsel | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 42.3% Female, 57.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |