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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Michigan?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Michigan 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 Michigan is $297, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Michigan can range from $88 to $472.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Michigan is $159, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Michigan can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Michigan is $270 (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 Michigan 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 Michigan

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Michigan. “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 $297 $159 $270
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 Michigan

In Michigan, 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$236
Appellate$325
Bankruptcy$387
Business$330
Civil Litigation$298
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$246
Collections$272
Commercial Sale of Goods$355
Construction$301
Contracts$324
Corporate$322
Criminal$218
Elder Law$249
Employment Labor$326
Family$345
Government$160
Immigration$472
Insurance$205
Intellectual Property$408
Juvenile$301
Mediation and Arbitration$360
Medical Malpractice$200
Other$249
Personal Injury$199
Real Estate$302
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
Tax$425
Traffic Offenses$234
Trusts$346
Wills and Estates$305
Worker's Compensation$88

Key performance indicators in Michigan

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Michigan. 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.
Michigan average 37% 87% 92%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Michigan


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$297$159$270
2024$294$138$269
2023$266$138$249
2022$269$128$251
2021$272$139$257

Adjusted hourly rates in Michigan

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Michigan 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$316$169$286
2024$315$148$288
2023$282$147$264
2022$286$136$266
2021$289$148$273

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Michigan?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Michigan is between $88 and $472 per hour, with the average being $297.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Michigan?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Michigan is $345 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Michigan?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Michigan is $298 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Michigan?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Michigan is $218 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Michigan?

Immigration attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Michigan, earning $472 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Michigan?

Worker's Compensation attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Michigan, earning $88 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