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

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in North Dakota 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 Dakota is $324, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in North Dakota can range from $252 to $644.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in North Dakota is $210, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in North Dakota can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in North Dakota is $301 (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 Dakota 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 Dakota

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in North Dakota. “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 $324 $210 $301
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 Dakota

In North Dakota, 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
AdministrativeCurrently unavailable
AppellateCurrently unavailable
Bankruptcy$345
Business$338
Civil Litigation$319
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$442
Collections$287
Commercial Sale of Goods$319
Construction$328
Contracts$389
Corporate$587
Criminal$276
Elder Law$280
Employment Labor$332
Family$285
Government$409
ImmigrationCurrently unavailable
Insurance$278
Intellectual PropertyCurrently unavailable
JuvenileCurrently unavailable
Mediation and Arbitration$264
Medical MalpracticeCurrently unavailable
Other$252
Personal Injury$358
Real Estate$355
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
Tax$644
Traffic OffensesCurrently unavailable
Trusts$354
Wills and Estates$319
Worker's CompensationCurrently unavailable

Key performance indicators in North Dakota

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in North Dakota. 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 Dakota average 34% 93% 92%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in North Dakota


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$324$210$301
2024$285$180$266
2023$253$145$231
2022$268$154$245
2021$264$164$246

Adjusted hourly rates in North Dakota

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in North Dakota 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$366$237$340
2024$322$203$300
2023$277$159$254
2022$293$168$268
2021$289$179$269

Frequently asked questions

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

The hourly rate for a lawyer in North Dakota is between $252 and $644 per hour, with the average being $324.

How much does a family lawyer charge in North Dakota?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in North Dakota is $285 per hour.

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

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in North Dakota is $319 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in North Dakota?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in North Dakota is $276 per hour.

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

Tax attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in North Dakota, earning $644 per hour on average.

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

Other attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in North Dakota, earning $252 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