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The differences between trial attorneys and senior attorneys 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 senior attorney. Additionally, a senior attorney has an average salary of $111,002, 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 senior attorney are litigation, law firm, and legal advice.
| Trial Attorney | Senior Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $110,340 | $111,002 |
| Hourly rate | $53.05 | $53.37 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,253 | 10,445 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Doctoral Degree, 53% |
| 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 Senior Attorney supervises all activities of junior attorneys and deals with all complex legal transactions. They identify legal issues and offer businesses and their customers optimum solutions, as well as ensure that businesses respond appropriately to any legislative changes.
Trial attorneys and senior attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Trial Attorney | Senior Attorney | |
| Average salary | $110,340 | $111,002 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $166,000 | Between $67,000 And $183,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | Clifford Chance |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a trial attorney and a senior attorney in terms of educational background:
| Trial Attorney | Senior Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Doctoral Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between trial attorneys' and senior attorneys' demographics:
| Trial Attorney | Senior Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 60.1% Female, 39.9% |
| 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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 6.2% White, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |