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The differences between trial attorneys and legal externs 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 legal extern. Additionally, a trial attorney has an average salary of $110,340, which is higher than the $47,238 average annual salary of a legal extern.
The top three skills for a trial attorney include litigation, legal research and property damage. The most important skills for a legal extern are litigation, legal intern, and legal issues.
| Trial Attorney | Legal Extern | |
| Yearly salary | $110,340 | $47,238 |
| Hourly rate | $53.05 | $22.71 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,253 | 10,986 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
Legal externs are law students who took the opportunity to do on-the-job training at a law firm. Instead of monetary compensation, they receive academic credits. Legal externs primarily engage in job shadowing. They are usually assigned mentors in the law firm, and they would shadow their mentors in their daily routines. Legal externs are exposed to the actual work done by lawyers. Legal externs are involved in cases, providing insights while building a solid case for their client, giving advice to clients, and representing clients under the supervision of the actual lawyers in the firm. They are usually not given administrative or clerical tasks since they are expected to do more tasks directly related to being a lawyer.
Trial attorneys and legal externs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Trial Attorney | Legal Extern | |
| Average salary | $110,340 | $47,238 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $166,000 | Between $23,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | Jones Day |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a trial attorney and a legal extern in terms of educational background:
| Trial Attorney | Legal Extern | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between trial attorneys' and legal externs' demographics:
| Trial Attorney | Legal Extern | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 46.0% Female, 54.0% |
| 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% |