Legal Fee Estimate Calculator
Estimate total legal fees based on hourly rate, estimated hours, and fee structure.
Budget for your legal matter.
Legal Fee Estimation helps you budget for legal services by calculating total costs based on the attorney’s billing structure.
Common billing structures:
Hourly rate billing:
Total Fee = Hourly Rate × Hours Worked
Most common for litigation, business law, and complex matters.
Flat fee: A fixed price for a defined scope of work (e.g., simple will, uncontested divorce, business formation).
Contingency fee: Attorney takes a percentage of the settlement/award (typically 25-40%). You pay nothing if you lose. Common for personal injury, medical malpractice, and employment discrimination cases.
Average attorney hourly rates (US, 2024-2025):
- Small firm, rural area: $150-250/hour
- Small firm, urban area: $200-400/hour
- Mid-size firm: $250-500/hour
- Large firm (BigLaw): $400-1,500+/hour
- Specialty (patent, M&A): $500-1,200+/hour
Typical hours by legal matter:
- Simple will: 1-3 hours ($300-900)
- Uncontested divorce: 5-10 hours ($1,500-4,000)
- Contested divorce: 25-100+ hours ($7,500-50,000+)
- DUI defense: 10-25 hours ($3,000-10,000)
- Business formation (LLC): 2-5 hours ($600-2,000)
- Contract review: 1-3 hours ($300-1,200)
- Real estate closing: 3-8 hours ($900-3,000)
- Personal injury lawsuit: contingency, typically 33% of settlement
- Bankruptcy (Chapter 7): flat fee $1,000-2,500
Additional costs to budget for:
- Court filing fees ($50-500+)
- Expert witnesses ($200-600/hour)
- Paralegal time ($75-200/hour)
- Document preparation and copying
- Travel and courier fees
Retainer agreements: Many attorneys require an upfront retainer (advance payment) that they bill against. Typical retainers range from $2,500-10,000 depending on the matter. Unused retainer funds are refunded when the case concludes.
This calculator provides estimates only. Always get a written fee agreement from your attorney.