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The differences between trial attorneys and general 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 a general counsel. Additionally, a general counsel has an average salary of $125,248, which is higher than the $110,340 average annual salary of a trial attorney.
The top three skills for a trial attorney include litigation, legal research and property damage. The most important skills for a general counsel are litigation, legal issues, and legal advice.
| Trial Attorney | General Counsel | |
| Yearly salary | $110,340 | $125,248 |
| Hourly rate | $53.05 | $60.22 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,253 | 50,275 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| 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.
A general counsel, also called a chief legal officer, is the chief lawyer in the legal department of an organization. The counsel represents an enterprise for any pending legal matters. They work proactively to lessen possible problems associated with legalities and potential risks. They have to monitor practices and the people within the law firm for misconduct. They also perform dominant roles in regulation, ethics, public affairs, and legislation. It is common for them to serve as the public spokesperson of the company during the publicity of legal matters.
Trial attorneys and general counsels have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Trial Attorney | General Counsel | |
| Average salary | $110,340 | $125,248 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $166,000 | Between $75,000 And $208,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | Martin's Point Health Care |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a trial attorney and a general counsel in terms of educational background:
| Trial Attorney | General Counsel | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between trial attorneys' and general counsels' demographics:
| Trial Attorney | General Counsel | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 61.5% Female, 38.5% |
| 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, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |