Hourly rates in North Carolina
Lawyers in North Carolina typically charge between $81 and $383 per hour, with the average being $262. For comparison, District of Columbia has the highest average hourly rate at $424 while West Virginia has the lowest average hourly rate at $168.
Hourly rates in North Carolina by practice area
Average hourly rates in North Carolina vary by practice area. The table below includes the average hourly rate for attorneys in different practice areas.
| Practice Area | Average Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| Administrative | $285 |
| Appellate | $147 |
| Bankruptcy | $353 |
| Business | $327 |
| Civil Litigation | $276 |
| Civil Rights | Constitutional Law | $300 |
| Collections | $258 |
| Commercial | Sale of Goods | $359 |
| Construction | $225 |
| Contracts | $288 |
| Corporate | $305 |
| Criminal | $131 |
| Elder Law | $244 |
| Employment | Labor | $333 |
| Family | $274 |
| Government | $292 |
| Immigration | $353 |
| Insurance | $159 |
| Intellectual Property | $342 |
| Juvenile | $81 |
| Mediation | Arbitration | $267 |
| Medical Malpractice | $222 |
| Other | $261 |
| Personal Injury | $279 |
| Real Estate | $308 |
| Small Claims | $191 |
| Tax | $381 |
| Traffic Offenses | $383 |
| Trusts | $340 |
| Wills & Estates | $312 |
| Worker's Compensation | $189 |
North Carolina's hourly rates not adjusted for cost of living
The average hourly rate for North Carolina law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is $237. The average hourly rate for North Carolina lawyers is $262 and the average for non-lawyers is $136.
For comparison:- District of Columbia has the highest law firm hourly rate at $384, while West Virginia has the lowest law firm hourly rate at $163.
- District of Columbia has the highest lawyer hourly rates at $424, while West Virginia has the lowest lawyer hourly rate at $168.
North Carolina's hourly rates adjusted for cost of living
When it come to adjusted rates by state (rates reflecting the cost of living in each state), the average hourly rate for
North Carolina law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is $258, while the average hourly rate for North Carolina lawyers is $286 and non-lawyers is $148.
- District of Columbia has the highest law firm hourly rate at $330, while West Virginia has the lowest law firm hourly rate at $183.
- District of Columbia has the highest lawyer hourly rates at $359, while Alabama has the lowest lawyer hourly rate at $189.
Note: Industry-wide data suggests the average lawyer could increase rates by an additional 3% to keep up with recent changes in the consumer price index (CPI) relative to 2019.
North Carolina's utilization, realization, and collection rates
Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance. 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.
Lawyers should be familiar with the following KPIs:
- Utilization rate: How many hours individual lawyers put towards revenue-generating work. The national average utilization rate was 33%.
- Realization rate: How much revenue–generating work is billed to a client after discounts or canceled fees. The national average realization rate was 85%.
- Collection rate: How much invoiced work gets paid to a law firm. The national average collection rate was 89%.
North Carolina's utilization rate
The utilization rate for North Carolina law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is 31%.For comparison:
- Nebraska has the highest utilization rate for law firms at 42%, while New Hampshire has the lowest utilization rate for law firms at 26%.
North Carolina's realization rate
The realization rate for North Carolina law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is 87%.For comparison:
- Idaho has the highest realization rate for law firms at 94%, while District of Columbia has the lowest realization rate for law firms at 66%.
North Carolina's collection rate
The collection rate for North Carolina law firms (which includes both lawyers and non-lawyers) is 90%.For comparison:
- Minnesota has the highest collection rate for law firms at 92%, while Illinois has the lowest collection rate for law firms at 85%.
North Carolina’s hourly rates over the last five reports
Lawyer Hourly Rate/Adjusted Hourly Rate
| Legal Trends Report | Hourly Rates for Lawyers | Adjusted Hourly Rates for Lawyers |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Legal Trends Report | $262 | $286 |
| 2021 Legal Trends Report | $255 | $278 |
| 2020 Legal Trends Report | $247 | $269 |
| 2019 Legal Trends Report | $241 | $263 |
| 2018 Legal Trends Report | $228 | $249 |
Law Firm Hourly Rate/Adjusted Hourly Rate
| Legal Trends Report | Hourly Rates for Law Firms | Adjusted Hourly Rates for Law Firms |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Legal Trends Report | $237 | $258 |
| 2021 Legal Trends Report | $231 | $252 |
| 2020 Legal Trends Report | $224 | $244 |
| 2019 Legal Trends Report | $217 | $237 |
| 2018 Legal Trends Report | $206 | $225 |
Non-Lawyer Hourly Rate/Adjusted Hourly Rate
| Legal Trends Report | Hourly Rates for Non-Lawyers | Adjusted Hourly Rates for Non-Lawyers |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Legal Trends Report | $136 | $148 |
| 2021 Legal Trends Report | $131 | $143 |
| 2020 Legal Trends Report | $125 | $136 |
| 2019 Legal Trends Report | $122 | $133 |
| 2018 Legal Trends Report | $115 | $125 |
About Clio’s Hourly Rate Data for Lawyers (Updated 2023)
Clio's Hourly Rate Data is based on aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals using Clio. Each year, this data is analyzed and published within the Legal Trends Report, which provides ongoing, in-depth research into the most pressing issues faced by legal professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
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