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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Massachusetts?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts is $335, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Massachusetts can range from $108 to $434.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Massachusetts is $237, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Massachusetts can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Massachusetts is $312 (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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Massachusetts. “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 $335 $237 $312
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 Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, 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$269
Appellate$132
Bankruptcy$359
Business$378
Civil Litigation$347
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$221
Collections$417
Commercial Sale of Goods$357
Construction$375
Contracts$306
Corporate$434
Criminal$197
Elder Law$397
Employment Labor$366
Family$343
Government$281
Immigration$368
Insurance$402
Intellectual Property$396
Juvenile$108
Mediation and Arbitration$366
Medical Malpractice$367
Other$305
Personal Injury$285
Real Estate$355
Small Claims$240
Tax$422
Traffic Offenses$315
Trusts$392
Wills and Estates$387
Worker's Compensation$180

Key performance indicators in Massachusetts

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Massachusetts. 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.
Massachusetts average 34% 81% 93%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Massachusetts


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$335$237$312
2024$318$249$305
2023$285$184$273
2022$290$178$275
2021$285$187$273

Adjusted hourly rates in Massachusetts

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Massachusetts 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$309$219$288
2024$290$228$279
2023$267$172$256
2022$271$166$257
2021$266$175$254

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Massachusetts?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Massachusetts is between $108 and $434 per hour, with the average being $335.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Massachusetts?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Massachusetts is $343 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Massachusetts?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Massachusetts is $347 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Massachusetts?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Massachusetts is $197 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Massachusetts?

Corporate attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Massachusetts, earning $434 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Massachusetts?

Juvenile attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Massachusetts, earning $108 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