Hourly rates in New York
Lawyers in New York typically charge between $158and $677 per hour, with the average being $358. For comparison,District of Columbia has the highest average hourly rate at $392 whileWest Virginia has the lowest average hourly rate at $162.
Hourly rates in New York by practice area
Average hourly rates in New York vary by practice area. The table below includes the average hourly rate for attorneys in different practice areas.
| Practice Area | Average Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| Administrative | $348 |
| Appellate | $225 |
| Bankruptcy | $463 |
| Business | $413 |
| Civil Litigation | $393 |
| Civil Rights and Constitutional Law | $337 |
| Collections | $377 |
| Commercial Sale of Goods | $430 |
| Construction | $365 |
| Contracts | $361 |
| Corporate | $482 |
| Criminal | $374 |
| Elder Law | $427 |
| Employment Labor | $447 |
| Family | $387 |
| Government | $481 |
| Immigration | $677 |
| Insurance | $210 |
| Intellectual Property | $420 |
| Juvenile | $158 |
| Mediation and Arbitration | $521 |
| Medical Malpractice | $225 |
| Other | $361 |
| Personal Injury | $224 |
| Real Estate | $347 |
| Small Claims | $250 |
| Tax | $500 |
| Traffic Offenses | $247 |
| Trusts | $427 |
| Wills and Estates | $399 |
| Worker's Compensation | $455 |
New York's hourly rates not adjusted for cost of living
The average hourly rate for New York law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is $339. The average hourly rate forNew York lawyers is $358 and the average for non-lawyers is $215.
For comparison:
- District of Columbia has the highest law firm hourly rate at $365, while West Virginia has the lowest law firm hourly rate at $160.
- District of Columbia has the highest lawyer hourly rates at $392, while West Virginia has the lowest lawyer hourly rate at $162.
New York's hourly rates adjusted for cost of living
When it come to adjusted rates by state (rates reflecting the cost of living in each state), the average hourly rate forNew York law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is $310, while the average hourly rate for New York lawyers is $327 and non-lawyers is $196.
For comparison:
- District of Columbia has the highest law firm hourly rate at $328, while West Virginia has the lowest law firm hourly rate at $176.
- District of Columbia has the highest lawyer hourly rates at $352, while Alabama has the lowest lawyer hourly rate at $178.
New York's utilization, realization, and collection rates
Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance. This information helps lawyers understand how they and their employees are contributing to revenue generation, and can be instrumental in identifying areas for continuous improvement.
Lawyers should be familiar with the following KPIs:
- Utilization rate: How many hours individual lawyers put towards revenue-generating work. The national average utilization rate was 33%.
- Realization rate: How much revenue–generating work is billed to a client after discounts or canceled fees. The national average realization rate was 86%.
- Collection rate: How much invoiced work gets paid to a law firm. The national average collection rate was 90%.
New York's utilization rate
The utilization rate for New York law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is 31%.
For comparison:
- Nebraska has the highest utilization rate for law firms at 43%, while Arkansas has the lowest utilization rate for law firms at 26%.
New York's realization rate
The realization rate for New York law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is 78%.
For comparison:
- Vermont has the highest realization rate for law firms at 95%, while District of Columbia has the lowest realization rate for law firms at 70%.
New York's collection rate
The collection rate for New York law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is 88%.
For comparison:
- Vermont has the highest collection rate for law firms at 95%, while Rhode Island has the lowest collection rate for law firms at 81%.
New York’s hourly rates over the last five reports
Lawyer Hourly Rate/Adjusted Hourly Rate
| Legal Trends Report | Hourly Rates for Lawyers | Adjusted Hourly Rates for Lawyers |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Legal Trends Report | $358 | $327 |
| 2022 Legal Trends Report | $378 | $327 |
| 2021 Legal Trends Report | $372 | $322 |
| 2020 Legal Trends Report | $357 | $308 |
| 2019 Legal Trends Report | $346 | $299 |
Law Firm Hourly Rate/Adjusted Hourly Rate
| Legal Trends Report | Hourly Rates for Law Firms | Adjusted Hourly Rates for Law Firms |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Legal Trends Report | $339 | $310 |
| 2022 Legal Trends Report | $355 | $307 |
| 2021 Legal Trends Report | $351 | $303 |
| 2020 Legal Trends Report | $338 | $292 |
| 2019 Legal Trends Report | $327 | $282 |
Non-Lawyer Hourly Rate/Adjusted Hourly Rate
| Legal Trends Report | Hourly Rates for Non-Lawyers | Adjusted Hourly Rates for Non-Lawyers |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Legal Trends Report | $215 | $196 |
| 2022 Legal Trends Report | $211 | $182 |
| 2021 Legal Trends Report | $220 | $190 |
| 2020 Legal Trends Report | $223 | $193 |
| 2019 Legal Trends Report | $204 | $177 |
About Clio’s Hourly Rate Data for Lawyers (Updated 2023)
Clio's Hourly Rate Data is based on aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals using Clio.Each year, this data is analyzed and published within the Legal Trends Report,which provides ongoing, in-depth research into the most pressing issues faced by legal professionals.
Read the Legal Trends Report
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in New York?
The hourly rate for a lawyer in New York is between $677 and $158 per hour, with the average being $358.
How much does a family lawyer charge in New York?
The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in New York is $387 per hour.
How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in New York?
The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in New York is $393 per hour.
How much does a criminal lawyer charge in New York?
The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in New York is $374 per hour.
What is the highest paid type of lawyer in New York?
Immigration attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in New York, earning $677 per hour on average.
What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in New York?
Juvenile attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in New York, earning $158 per hour on average.
Explore Lawyer Rates From Across the U.S.A.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Montana
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
