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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in North Carolina?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in North Carolina 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 North Carolina is $316, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in North Carolina can range from $71 to $436.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in North Carolina is $164, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in North Carolina can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in North Carolina is $277 (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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in North Carolina. “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 $316 $164 $277
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 North Carolina

In North Carolina, 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$343
Appellate$165
Bankruptcy$359
Business$374
Civil Litigation$312
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$424
Collections$303
Commercial Sale of Goods$352
Construction$349
Contracts$352
Corporate$376
Criminal$164
Elder Law$346
Employment Labor$377
Family$322
Government$277
Immigration$223
Insurance$175
Intellectual Property$381
Juvenile$71
Mediation and Arbitration$306
Medical MalpracticeCurrently unavailable
Other$243
Personal Injury$388
Real Estate$374
Small Claims$254
Tax$436
Traffic Offenses$284
Trusts$433
Wills and Estates$349
Worker's Compensation$184

Key performance indicators in North Carolina

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in North Carolina. 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.
North Carolina average 32% 90% 92%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in North Carolina


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$316$164$277
2024$295$158$271
2023$254$132$229
2022$262$136$237
2021$255$131$231

Adjusted hourly rates in North Carolina

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in North Carolina 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$336$174$294
2024$313$168$288
2023$271$141$245
2022$286$148$258
2021$278$143$252

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in North Carolina?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in North Carolina is between $71 and $436 per hour, with the average being $316.

How much does a family lawyer charge in North Carolina?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in North Carolina is $322 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in North Carolina?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in North Carolina is $312 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in North Carolina?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in North Carolina is $164 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in North Carolina?

Tax attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in North Carolina, earning $436 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in North Carolina?

Juvenile attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in North Carolina, earning $71 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