What Is A Trial Attorney? | Career Path And Overview - Zippia

Overview

JobsSalaryResumeSkillsWhat They DoEducationDemographicsJob DescriptionHow To HireBest CompaniesBest StatesBest CitiesRemote JobsJob OutlookCompareEntry Level jobsFull Time jobsWork From Home jobsWhat is a trial attorney and how to become oneWritten by Zippia teamUpdated January 8, 20253 min readQuoted expert Hanna Royce

If you've ever been interested in being in the court for a trial, there's no better seat in the house than the trial attorney's seat. As a trial attorney, your responsibility is to argue your client's case to the judge and jury. There is a small price to pay for the best seat in the house though.

To become a trial attorney, generally, you need a bachelor's degree followed up with three years of law school. If you finish your bachelor's degree in the typical four years then you're looking at seven years of school. The work doesn't stop once you've completed school. While typically trial attorney's are billed for 40-50 hours of work a week, they usually end up working 60-70 hours a week.

What general advice would you give to a trial attorney?

Hanna Royce

Assistant Dean of Career Services, University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law

Graduates should keep their network active. This includes them taking the time to re-engage with the members of their network on a regular basis and continuing to make new contacts. They should make it a priority to stay in touch with their classmates and professors. They might be looking for a new position in the future, and their legal network can help them locate opportunities through the hidden job market. Many graduates are securing remote positions. To be successful in a remote environment, employees need to make the extra effort to communicate and stay connected with colleagues. Even when employees are telecommuting, they should dress as if they are going into the office. This can help them with productivity and illustrate their professionalism when meeting with colleagues or clients.ScoreTrial AttorneyUS AverageSalary7.9

Avg. Salary $110,340

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level10.0

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity2.5Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 6.36%

Black or African American 5.53%

Hispanic or Latino 7.75%

Unknown 4.37%

White 75.69%

Gender

female 33.77%

male 66.23%

Age - 45Race

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 - 45Stress level10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Trial attorney career paths

Key steps to become a trial attorney

1. Explore trial attorney education requirements

   Most common trial attorney degrees

   Doctorate

   57.0 %

   Bachelor's

   38.0 %

   Master's

   3.6 %Show more

2. Start to develop specific trial attorney skills

   Skills	Percentages
   Litigation	20.55%
   Legal Research	8.42%
   Property Damage	7.17%
   Legal Advice	5.81%
   Legal Issues	5.76%

   Show more

3. Complete relevant trial attorney training and internships

   Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New trial 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 trial attorney based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real trial attorney resumes.

4. Research trial attorney duties and responsibilities

   • Lead trial attorney in general practice litigation firm managing a diverse portfolio of cases representing individuals face with difficult legal problems.
   • Recommend initiation of litigation and appeals.
   • Research and draft numerous criminal appeals and perform oral arguments in defense thereof.
   • Conduct trials in complex class action litigation involving cemetery claims of allege mistreatment of remains and emotional distress without bodily injury.

5. Prepare your trial attorney resume

   When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your trial 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 trial 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 trial attorney resume templates

   Build a professional trial 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 trial attorney resume.Use this templateUse this templateUse this templateUse this templateUse this templateUse this templateUse this templateUse this templateUse this template

6. Apply for trial attorney jobs

   Now it's time to start searching for a trial attorney 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

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Average trial attorney salary

The average trial attorney salary in the United States is $110,340 per year or $53 per hour. Trial attorney salaries range between $73,000 and $166,000 per year.

Average trial attorney salary$110,340 Yearly$53.05 hourlyMore trial attorney salary info

What am I worth?

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How do trial attorneys rate their job?

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Trial attorney reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019Pros

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).

Cons

Billing hours. Unscrupulous opposing counsel. Occasional biased judges who do not follow the law.

Working as a trial attorney? Share your experience anonymously.Overall rating*Career growthWork/Life balancePay/SalaryPros of working as a Trial AttorneyCons of working as a Trial AttorneySubmit anonymous review

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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