Legal Fee Estimate Calculator

Legal Fee Estimation helps you budget for legal services by calculating total costs based on the attorney’s billing structure.

The calculator above prices hourly billing. That is the structure where an estimate is genuinely hard to pin down, because the total depends on hours nobody can know in advance. The other two structures are quoted as a single number by the attorney, so there is nothing to compute. All three are explained here so you can tell which one you are being offered.

Hourly rate billing: Total Fee = Hourly Rate × Hours Worked Most common for litigation, business law, and complex matters. Ask for a low and a high estimate of hours, not one number, and put both into the calculator.

Flat fee: A fixed price for a defined scope of work, such as a simple will, an uncontested divorce, or forming a company. Ask in writing what falls outside the scope, because that part reverts to hourly. For typical flat-fee amounts by case type, use the Attorney Fee Estimator.

Contingency fee: Attorney takes a percentage of the settlement or award, typically 25-40%, and you pay nothing if you lose. Standard in personal injury, medical malpractice, and employment discrimination. Note that case costs such as expert witnesses are usually deducted separately, and whether that happens before or after the attorney’s percentage changes what you take home.

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 $1,000-3,500

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.