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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Minnesota?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Minnesota 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 Minnesota is $326, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Minnesota can range from $169 to $634.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Minnesota is $176, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Minnesota can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Minnesota is $293 (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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Minnesota. “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 $326 $176 $293
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 Minnesota

In Minnesota, 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$325
Appellate$310
Bankruptcy$269
Business$388
Civil Litigation$337
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$362
Collections$295
Commercial Sale of Goods$381
Construction$412
Contracts$385
Corporate$358
Criminal$297
Elder Law$198
Employment Labor$353
Family$307
Government$187
Immigration$363
Insurance$293
Intellectual Property$634
Juvenile$169
Mediation and Arbitration$247
Medical Malpractice$331
Other$367
Personal Injury$340
Real Estate$331
Small Claims$350
Tax$479
Traffic OffensesCurrently unavailable
Trusts$353
Wills and Estates$345
Worker's Compensation$419

Key performance indicators in Minnesota

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Minnesota. 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.
Minnesota average 33% 88% 94%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Minnesota


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$326$176$293
2024$305$162$283
2023$271$146$250
2022$274$153$254
2021$275$151$255

Adjusted hourly rates in Minnesota

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Minnesota 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$332$178$298
2024$312$166$290
2023$276$148$254
2022$281$156$260
2021$282$155$261

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Minnesota?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Minnesota is between $169 and $634 per hour, with the average being $326.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Minnesota?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Minnesota is $307 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Minnesota?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Minnesota is $337 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Minnesota?

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

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Minnesota?

Intellectual Property attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Minnesota, earning $634 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Minnesota?

Juvenile attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Minnesota, earning $169 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