Corporate Attorney
Corporate Attorney Job Description
Lawyers Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, and manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
Corporate Attorney Salary Statistics as of 2015
Average annual salary for a Corporate Attorney is $108482 based on statistics in the U.S. as of 2015. The highest salary recorded was $213529. The lowest salary reported was $57566. These figures will vary on a state to state basis as these are averages across all 50 states.
Median hourly wage for a Corporate Attorney is $53.94 based on statistics in the U.S. as of 2015. The highest hourly rate recorded was $106.18. The lowest hourly rate recorded was $28.63. These figures will vary on a state to state basis as these are averages across all 50 states.
Bonuses for a Corporate Attorney are based on the years of experience using statistics from the U.S. as of 2015. The average bonus recorded was $20347 from people with 15+ years of experience. The average bonus recorded was $5087 from people with under 1 year of experience.
These are the highest paying states for a Corporate Attorney. These numbers are based off the median annual salary as of 2015.
California – $73,381 – $201,683
Florida – $50,000 – $150,000
Illinois – $59,180 – $205,073
New Jersey – $76,026 – $229,194
New York – $59,350 – $204,154
Pennsylvania – $61,825 – $159,011
Texas – $40,134 – $203,137
These are the highest paying cities for a Corporate Attorney. These numbers are based off the median annual salary as of 2015.
New York, New York –
Los Angeles, California –
Chicago, Illinois –
Houston, Texas –
Miami, Florida –
Boston, Massachusetts –
San Francisco, California –
This chart outlines the average annual salary of a Corporate Attorney from the past 5 years. In 2015 the average annual salary was $108482 while in 2007 it was just $100604.3
Corporate law is an exciting field that pays a great salary. These lawyers routinely earn over $100,000 per year for their starting salary. Experienced lawyers will see maximum earnings in the range of $170,000 yearly. They work for the largest law firms in the world and often travel around the globe as a part of their job. The average corporate lawyer salary depends on the amount of experience an attorney has as well as the geographical area where they work. Some areas are known as higher paying, and the state where a person works influences earnings. Employers are another factor that impact the amount a corporate attorney will earn.
The starting average corporate lawyer salary is $102,353. This is for lawyers who have minimal experience and have only been working in the field for one to four years. Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, California and New York, New York are some of the best paying cities for corporate attorneys. Beginning lawyers earn an average of $110,239 in these cities. Smaller cities and rural areas will pay attorneys less.
Experienced attorneys will see their salaries quickly rise. Lawyers who have been working in the field for up to nine years will earn an average of $120,324 per year. This is the national average, and geographical areas and employers are factors that make particular earnings higher or lower. Private law firms are one of the highest paying employers. Attorneys who work for a private corporate law firm will earn an average $170,068. Hospitals are another of the employers who routinely hire corporate attorneys. Experienced attorneys will earn an average $146,468 when they work for a hospital.
Corporate lawyers need to undergo at least six years of education before they will be eligible to take the bar exam. A Bachelor’s degree is the first step to becoming a corporate lawyer. Students must then take the LSAT and apply for law school. A Juris Doctor degree is a two year degree that makes lawyers eligible for the bar. After passing the bar, lawyers can begin working in their field.
Job Outlook
The career of corporate lawyers is an exciting one that is filled with travel. Lawyers represent some of the largest corporations around the world. Travel is often a part of the job for these professionals. They also draft documents and help their employers avoid legal liability. They may advise corporations about the best way to proceed in their business operations. Court representation is another responsibility that corporate lawyers undertake. If their employer needs to go to court, these lawyers represent them through the entire hearing process.
A corporate lawyer’s salary is very rewarding, and these professionals routinely max out at $170,000 per year. This does not include the bonuses and perks that come with their job. Benefit packages are usually extensive and provide paid vacation, holidays and travel expenses. Corporate lawyers need to attend an undergraduate university and then go to law school before they will land a job in the field. The starting corporate lawyer’s salary is well over $100,000 per year.
Gender Statistics |
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64%
36%
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Based on our stats gathered across the U.S. 64% of Corporate Attorneys were males while 36% were females. These numbers are based on averages across all states combined. Some individual states may have a much different ratio however.
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