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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Louisiana?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Louisiana 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 Louisiana is $266, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Louisiana can range from $156 to $621.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Louisiana is $119, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Louisiana can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Louisiana is $242 (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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Louisiana. “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 $266 $119 $242
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 Louisiana

In Louisiana, 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$156
Appellate$282
Bankruptcy$367
Business$315
Civil Litigation$267
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$296
Collections$259
Commercial Sale of Goods$289
Construction$246
Contracts$281
Corporate$309
Criminal$334
Elder Law$242
Employment Labor$277
Family$289
Government$192
Immigration$348
Insurance$195
Intellectual Property$262
Juvenile$359
Mediation and Arbitration$364
Medical Malpractice$250
Other$294
Personal Injury$230
Real Estate$294
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
Tax$346
Traffic Offenses$621
Trusts$247
Wills and Estates$337
Worker's Compensation$160

Key performance indicators in Louisiana

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Louisiana. 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.
Louisiana average 39% 88% 93%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Louisiana


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$266$119$242
2024$266$113$244
2023$245$104$226
2022$250$100$228
2021$244$99$221

Adjusted hourly rates in Louisiana

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Louisiana 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$302$135$274
2024$293$125$270
2023$268$114$247
2022$274$109$251
2021$267$108$241

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Louisiana?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Louisiana is between $156 and $621 per hour, with the average being $266.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Louisiana?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Louisiana is $289 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Louisiana?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Louisiana is $267 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Louisiana?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Louisiana is $334 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Louisiana?

Traffic Offenses attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Louisiana, earning $621 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Louisiana?

Administrative attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Louisiana, earning $156 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