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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Montana?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Montana 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 Montana is $261, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Montana can range from $117 to $532.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Montana is $142, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Montana can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Montana is $240 (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 Montana 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 Montana

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Montana. “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 $261 $142 $240
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 Montana

In Montana, 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$246
Appellate$117
Bankruptcy$312
Business$342
Civil Litigation$282
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$137
Collections$287
Commercial Sale of Goods$331
Construction$299
Contracts$302
Corporate$303
Criminal$138
Elder Law$271
Employment Labor$293
Family$280
Government$337
Immigration$279
Insurance$243
Intellectual Property$532
JuvenileCurrently unavailable
Mediation and Arbitration$206
Medical MalpracticeCurrently unavailable
Other$285
Personal Injury$266
Real Estate$322
Small Claims$266
Tax$347
Traffic Offenses$252
Trusts$362
Wills and Estates$319
Worker's Compensation$236

Key performance indicators in Montana

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Montana. 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.
Montana average 39% 93% 96%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Montana


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$261$142$240
2024$234$132$220
2023$199$111$187
2022$213$115$197
2021$207$115$192

Adjusted hourly rates in Montana

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Montana 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$289$157$266
2024$260$146$243
2023$217$121$204
2022$227$122$209
2021$219$122$204

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Montana?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Montana is between $117 and $532 per hour, with the average being $261.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Montana?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Montana is $280 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Montana?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Montana is $282 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Montana?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Montana is $138 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Montana?

Intellectual Property attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Montana, earning $532 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Montana?

Appellate attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Montana, earning $117 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