Attorney Fees
The cost charged by a lawyer for legal services, structured as hourly rates, flat fees, contingency fees, or retainer arrangements.
Attorney fees are the primary cost of legal representation and vary widely based on case type, attorney experience, geographic market, and fee structure. In major metros, experienced litigators charge $350–$800/hour; in smaller markets, $150–$350/hour is more common. Many clients experience sticker shock because attorneys bill in increments (typically 6-minute or 15-minute units), meaning a 3-minute phone call may be billed as 0.1 or 0.25 hours.
The four main fee structures are: hourly (pay as you go, most common for business and family law), flat fee (fixed price for defined scope — common for wills, simple contracts, uncontested divorces), contingency (attorney takes a percentage of recovery, typically 33%–40%, and collects nothing if you lose — standard in personal injury and some employment cases), and retainer (upfront deposit from which hourly fees are drawn).
Beyond the attorney's hourly rate, most matters also generate "costs" — court filing fees, process server fees, expert witness fees, deposition transcripts, and copying — billed separately from attorney time. Always ask for a written fee agreement before engaging counsel.
Real-World Example
The client paid a $5,000 retainer; after 12 hours at $350/hour, $800 in filing fees, and a $400 deposition transcript, the retainer was exhausted and the attorney requested a replenishment.