What is an assistant counsel and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D.
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Contrary to what you see on TV, not all legal professionals are lawyers working on high-stakes trials. After getting a degree in law, whether a bachelor's or even a doctorate, many legal professionals choose to go the corporate route and advise corporations on legal matters by working as assistant counsels.

Assistant counsels handle a variety of tasks to help a business follow the law. They advise the company on privacy policies, contracts, copyright laws. In case of a legal emergency, such as a subpoena or an employment discrimination lawsuit, the assistant counsel acts as an attorney for the company and advises them on a proper response.

The position of an assistant counsel is especially important for a company that deals with contracts from government agencies, such as FEMA, but many large companies need an assistant counsel. After all, nobody wants the government banging down their door. It's no wonder that the demand for assistant counsels is expected to grow by 6%.

What general advice would you give to an Assistant Counsel?

D

Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D.Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Dr., Assistant Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Vanguard University

Opportunities come in many different shapes and sizes, but they are still out there. Whether you are seeking to land a job in education or the non-profit sector, you will need to familiarize yourself and get used to all things digital, for the sake of communicating effectively. The younger your student or service partner's mindset, the more digitally savvy you will need to be, especially in the classroom and in the non-profit world.
ScoreAssistant CounselUS Average
Salary
4.8

Avg. Salary $61,229

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 6.53%

Black or African American 5.72%

Hispanic or Latino 7.95%

Unknown 4.40%

White 75.09%

Gender

female 57.70%

male 42.30%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.9

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Assistant Counsel career paths

Key steps to become an assistant counsel

  1. Explore assistant counsel education requirements

    Most common assistant counsel degrees

    Bachelor's

    51.7 %

    Doctorate

    18.1 %

    Associate

    9.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific assistant counsel skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Litigation14.10%
    Legal Issues11.00%
    Legal Advice9.51%
    Legal Research6.26%
    Intellectual Property5.15%
  3. Complete relevant assistant counsel training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New assistant counsels learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an assistant counsel based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real assistant counsel resumes.
  4. Research assistant counsel duties and responsibilities

    • Manage outside counsel relate to mortgage fraud recovery litigation, including cost management, litigation strategy and settlement terms.
    • Assist in liaising with insurance authorities, responding to regulatory inquiries and managing relationship with region from legal and business perspective.
    • Sell, consult and demonstrate office automation and conveyance software technology.
    • Respond to lawsuits, subpoenas, as well as draft any need legal documents.
  5. Prepare your assistant counsel resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your assistant counsel resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an assistant counsel resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Assistant Counsel Resume templates

    Build a professional Assistant Counsel resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Assistant Counsel resume.
    Assistant Counsel Resume
    Assistant Counsel Resume
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    Assistant Counsel Resume
    Assistant Counsel Resume
  6. Apply for assistant counsel jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an assistant counsel job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Assistant Counsel Job

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Average assistant counsel salary

The average Assistant Counsel salary in the United States is $61,229 per year or $29 per hour. Assistant counsel salaries range between $36,000 and $103,000 per year.

Average Assistant Counsel Salary
$61,229 Yearly
$29.44 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.