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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Tennessee?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Tennessee 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 Tennessee is $299, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Tennessee can range from $138 to $444.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Tennessee is $156, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Tennessee can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Tennessee is $270 (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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Tennessee. “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 $299 $156 $270
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 Tennessee

In Tennessee, 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$347
Appellate$287
Bankruptcy$335
Business$331
Civil Litigation$311
Civil Rights and Constitutional LawCurrently unavailable
Collections$270
Commercial Sale of Goods$329
Construction$299
Contracts$322
Corporate$351
Criminal$228
Elder Law$283
Employment Labor$318
Family$310
Government$221
Immigration$414
Insurance$203
Intellectual Property$444
Juvenile$138
Mediation and Arbitration$412
Medical Malpractice$248
Other$306
Personal Injury$253
Real Estate$332
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
Tax$337
Traffic Offenses$403
Trusts$315
Wills and Estates$301
Worker's Compensation$150

Key performance indicators in Tennessee

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Tennessee. 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.
Tennessee average 32% 83% 89%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Tennessee


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$299$156$270
2024$281$149$260
2023$233$127$218
2022$247$125$229
2021$235$120$218

Adjusted hourly rates in Tennessee

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Tennessee 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$323$168$292
2024$306$162$283
2023$257$140$240
2022$273$138$254
2021$261$133$241

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Tennessee?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Tennessee is between $138 and $444 per hour, with the average being $299.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Tennessee?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Tennessee is $310 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Tennessee?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Tennessee is $311 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Tennessee?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Tennessee is $228 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Tennessee?

Intellectual Property attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Tennessee, earning $444 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Tennessee?

Juvenile attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Tennessee, earning $138 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