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What is a staff attorney and how to become one
A staff attorney is an individual who works for a law firm, government agency, or corporation and provides legal advice and representation. They work under the supervision of senior attorneys and are responsible for conducting legal research, drafting legal documents, and representing clients in court. Staff attorneys may also assist in negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations. They must have a strong understanding of the law and excellent communication skills to effectively advocate for their clients.
What general advice would you give to a Staff Attorney?
Shelley Sadin
Associate Dean of Professional and Career Development, Quinnipiac University
It is identifying and analyzing legal and factual issues with an open, thoughtful, and creative mind.
Working collaboratively with clients, colleagues, opponents, and others involved in a case to solve problems.
Being meticulously ethical and professional in all interactions. This includes treating everyone involved in a matter with respect; recognizing and honoring their different backgrounds and perspectives.
Being self-disciplined, motivated, resilient, courageous, kind, and flexible.
Avg. Salary $110,028
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 10%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%
Asian 6.32%
Black or African American 5.48%
Hispanic or Latino 7.71%
Unknown 4.37%
White 75.82%
Genderfemale 52.48%
male 47.52%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a Staff Attorney?
Pros
Opportunity to work in a challenging and rewarding profession
Provides job security and stability
Offers a competitive salary and benefits package
Opportunity to gain valuable legal experience
Opportunity for professional growth and advancement
Cons
Long hours, including evenings and weekends
High stress levels due to the nature of the work
Heavy workload with tight deadlines
Limited work-life balance
May be required to work on cases that conflict with personal beliefs or values
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Staff Attorney career paths
Key steps to become a staff attorney
Explore staff attorney education requirements
Start to develop specific staff attorney skills
Skills 
Percentages Litigation 17.30% Legal Services 7.60% Juris 6.93% Legal Advice 5.76% Appeals 3.53% Complete relevant staff attorney training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New staff attorneys 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 a staff attorney based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real staff attorney resumes.Research staff attorney duties and responsibilities
- Generate an internal memorandum exploring VAWA and special immigrant juvenile cases that lead to the establishment of a new clinic program.
- Provide statewide training for attorneys and advocates on education law and also responsible for major impact education litigation and appeals.
- Create and conduct workshops on e-discovery, privilege, FMLA, ADA, and FLSA
- Conduct internal FLSA (wage and hour) compliance and re-classification audits for pre-complaint resolution.
Prepare your staff attorney resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your staff attorney 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 a staff attorney resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Staff Attorney Resume templates
Build a professional Staff Attorney 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 Staff Attorney resume.
Apply for staff attorney jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a staff attorney job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Staff Attorney Job
Are you a Staff Attorney?
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Average staff attorney salary
The average Staff Attorney salary in the United States is $110,028 per year or $53 per hour. Staff attorney salaries range between $69,000 and $173,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do staff attorneys rate their job?
Staff Attorney reviews
As a civil litigation defense attorney I love the fact that every day is different. I enjoy assisting clients who have a problem to solve that problem in the most cost effective way, and how to avoid such problems in the future. I like that I basically set my own work schedule (other than court dates).
Billing hours. Unscrupulous opposing counsel. Occasional biased judges who do not follow the law.
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Updated January 8, 2025
