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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Washington?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Washington 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 Washington is $346, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Washington can range from $165 to $556.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Washington is $187, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Washington can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Washington. “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 $346 $187 $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 Washington

In Washington, 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$253
Appellate$310
Bankruptcy$363
Business$407
Civil Litigation$363
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$500
Collections$427
Commercial Sale of Goods$426
Construction$409
Contracts$339
Corporate$393
Criminal$189
Elder Law$268
Employment Labor$384
Family$342
Government$245
Immigration$363
Insurance$218
Intellectual Property$535
Juvenile$223
Mediation and Arbitration$394
Medical Malpractice$389
Other$336
Personal Injury$342
Real Estate$395
Small Claims$205
Tax$556
Traffic Offenses$165
Trusts$340
Wills and Estates$388
Worker's Compensation$274

Key performance indicators in Washington

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Washington. 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.
Washington average 36% 92% 93%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Washington


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$346$187$301
2024$322$173$290
2023$288$149$258
2022$296$156$264
2021$286$150$258

Adjusted hourly rates in Washington

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Washington 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$318$173$277
2024$293$157$264
2023$264$136$237
2022$285$151$254
2021$276$144$248

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Washington?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Washington is between $165 and $556 per hour, with the average being $346.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Washington?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Washington is $342 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Washington?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Washington is $363 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Washington?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Washington is $189 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Washington?

Tax attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Washington, earning $556 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Washington?

Traffic Offenses attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Washington, earning $165 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