How much does it cost to hire a lawyer in the United States?

The question is, how do American lawyers charge?

Hourly Fee System

In the United States, hourly fee system is the most typical fee system. In the United States, the so-called hourly fee system is called "Hourly Rate". That is, the lawyer will charge the client for every hour spent on the client's case, or even part of an hour. For example, if the lawyer charges $100 per hour and works for 5 hours, the client will pay $500 for it. According to the data of The National Law Journal in 2014, the average fee of American lawyers is $349 per hour, and the fee of partner lawyers in law firms is $604 per hour (now the lawyer's fee has increased). The time spent by paralegals should also be calculated, ranging from $50 to $100 per hour, and some even $150. Some lawyers charge different fees according to the type of work, such as legal affairs investigation and court appearance. In addition, in large law firms, lawyers also have different fee standards, and most senior lawyers charge much higher fees than young lawyers or paralegals.

Contingency Fee System

In the United States, contingency fees are called "Contingency Fees". The "Contingency" here implies that this kind of remuneration is accidental and possible, and therefore, it is risky. "Fee" means "remuneration". The so-called "Contingency Fees" means that the remuneration obtained by the lawyer depends on a certain percentage of the total amount of the court judgment paid for the case represented. In other words, if a client hires a lawyer to fight a lawsuit, if the case is lost, the lawyer will not get any remuneration. However, the client still has to pay the relevant expenses incurred by the lawyer for this, that is, the "Expenses" spent by the lawyer for handling the case. In the United States, the proportion of lawyers' risk agency fees varies, and the general proportion is one-third. Some lawyers increase or decrease their share of the remuneration in proportion to the specific progress of the case.

Retainer Fees

Retainer Fees are called "Retainer Fees" in the United States. This charging method is very similar to the monthly pass we use for taking the bus. The so-called retainer fee is a series of fees paid to the lawyer. This fee is mostly calculated based on the hourly fee system, and this retainer fee can be regarded as a prepaid deposit. This is different from those charging methods that record future expenses. Flat Fees are usually placed in a special account, and the fees for the services are deducted from this account as the fees are incurred. Most flat fees are non-refundable unless the court finds the fee unreasonable. Flat fees also mean that the lawyer will be available to handle the client's legal problems at any time for a certain period of time.

Fixed Fees

Also known as "Flat Fees", the lawyer charges a specific total fee. For example, $1,000 for a case. This fee is usually only charged for simple or routine cases, such as wills or uncontested divorces.

Referral Fees

If a lawyer refers a client to another lawyer, he may receive a portion of the total fee paid by the client for the case. This is a referral fee. This is called a "referral fee" in the United States. Referral fees may be prohibited in applicable state professional ethics codes unless certain conditions are met. Like other types of fees, the total fee must be reasonable and you must agree to the fee.

Consultation Fees

Also known as "Consultation Fees". In the United States, the client meets with the lawyer for the first time so that both parties can decide whether the lawyer can help the client. For this purpose, the lawyer may charge a fixed fee or an hourly fee.

Statutory Fee

This is the so-called "Statutory Fee". In some cases, the lawyer's fee is stipulated by a specific statute, or the court proposes and approves the fee that the client has to pay. These types of fees may appear in probate, bankruptcy or other proceedings.

Because Americans cherish their reputation and rights very much, they often say "I want to see my lawyer", which is one of the reasons why American lawyers earn so much.