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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in New Jersey?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in New Jersey 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 New Jersey is $363, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in New Jersey can range from $193 to $578.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in New Jersey is $196, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in New Jersey can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in New Jersey is $328 (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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in New Jersey. “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 $363 $196 $328
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 New Jersey

In New Jersey, 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$399
Appellate$578
Bankruptcy$433
Business$324
Civil Litigation$353
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$428
Collections$368
Commercial Sale of Goods$506
Construction$318
Contracts$362
Corporate$416
Criminal$328
Elder Law$315
Employment Labor$332
Family$381
Government$268
Immigration$193
Insurance$204
Intellectual Property$459
JuvenileCurrently unavailable
Mediation and Arbitration$428
Medical MalpracticeCurrently unavailable
Other$424
Personal Injury$336
Real Estate$369
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
Tax$492
Traffic Offenses$405
Trusts$444
Wills and Estates$435
Worker's Compensation$206

Key performance indicators in New Jersey

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in New Jersey. 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.
New Jersey average 38% 79% 86%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in New Jersey


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$363$196$328
2024$348$194$329
2023$306$174$291
2022$330$167$310
2021$324$163$307

Adjusted hourly rates in New Jersey

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in New Jersey 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$334$180$301
2024$319$178$302
2023$281$160$267
2022$289$146$271
2021$283$143$268

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in New Jersey?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in New Jersey is between $193 and $578 per hour, with the average being $363.

How much does a family lawyer charge in New Jersey?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in New Jersey is $381 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in New Jersey?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in New Jersey is $353 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in New Jersey?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in New Jersey is $328 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in New Jersey?

Appellate attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in New Jersey, earning $578 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in New Jersey?

Immigration attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in New Jersey, earning $193 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