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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Colorado?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Colorado is based on aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals across the U.S. This data is updated annually and published with additional research and analysis in Clio’s Legal Trends Report.

Key takeaways

  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for a lawyer in Colorado is $321, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Colorado can range from $131 to $513.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Colorado is $177, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Colorado can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Colorado is $287 (compared to $311 in the US), which is a blended rate that takes into account both lawyer and non-lawyer rates. Based on the practice area, how much law firms charge in Colorado can range from $136 to $432.

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

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  • All of Clio’s research is published annually in the Legal Trends Report, which features in-depth analysis on the latest trends in AI technology and adoption, consumer perspectives on legal services, and this year, a first-of-its kind neurological study of legal professionals.

    Read the report

Hourly rates for legal services in Colorado

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Colorado. “Non-lawyer” rates refer to non-licensed legal professionals like paralegals and other firm administrative staff. “Law firm” rates are a blended average of lawyer and non-lawyer rates.


Average lawyer hourly rates
Average non-lawyer hourly rates
Average law firm hourly rates
State average $321 $177 $287
High $492 $237 $456
Low $196 $118 $186
Industry average $349 $187 $311

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

Hourly rates for legal services by practice area in Colorado

In Colorado, hourly rates differ based on the types of services and practice areas offered by lawyers and their law firms


Practice area
Average lawyer hourly rate
Administrative$244
Appellate$317
Bankruptcy$322
Business$394
Civil Litigation$341
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$513
Collections$309
Commercial Sale of Goods$407
Construction$300
Contracts$419
Corporate$421
Criminal$297
Elder Law$173
Employment Labor$387
Family$327
Government$278
Immigration$314
Insurance$222
Intellectual Property$402
Juvenile$139
Mediation and Arbitration$314
Medical Malpractice$233
Other$287
Personal Injury$319
Real Estate$386
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
Tax$347
Traffic Offenses$346
Trusts$339
Wills and Estates$348
Worker's Compensation$131

Key performance indicators in Colorado

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Colorado. 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.


Utilization rate
Realization rate
Collection rate
What is it? How many hours individual lawyers put towards revenue-generating work. How much revenue-generating work is billed to a client after discounts or canceled fees. How much invoiced work gets paid to a law firm.
Colorado average 36% 92% 95%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Colorado


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$321$177$287
2024$302$169$279
2023$261$142$236
2022$271$143$244
2021$267$138$242

Adjusted hourly rates in Colorado

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Colorado can affect overall purchasing power. Adjusted hourly rates take into account average consumer prices, and are calculated as follows.


Year
Adjusted lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted non-lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted law firm hourly rate
2025$317$174$283
2024$295$165$272
2023$253$138$229
2022$265$140$239
2021$261$136$237

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Colorado?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Colorado is between $131 and $513 per hour, with the average being $321.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Colorado?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Colorado is $327 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Colorado?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Colorado is $341 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Colorado?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Colorado is $297 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Colorado?

Civil Rights and Constitutional Law attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Colorado, earning $513 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Colorado?

Worker's Compensation attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Colorado, earning $131 per hour on average.

Explore lawyer rates in the U.S.

About the Legal Trends Report

The Legal Trends Report, published by Clio, provides information on the most important issues faced within the legal profession. By analyzing aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals in the U.S., supported by extensive survey research, this report offers unique insights into law firm efficiencies, hourly rates, and other key metrics for success.

Read the report