Philadelphia criminal defense attorney Peter J. Scuderi's criminal law blog.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Becoming a Successful Criminal Lawyer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Hiring a Drug or Narcotic Attorney
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Criminal Attorney Fees for Legal Services
Criminal attorney fees are the compensation required by attorneys for the legal service they provide. Attorney fees vary between firms, the type of services provided, and because of other factors. These fees are separate from fines, punitive and compensation damages and or court costs, which may be assessed in a legal case.
Through client surveys, it can be said that attorney fees usually range from $200 to $1000 per hour, although this is certainly not always the case. Smaller firms will charge a much lower amount. Insurance defense firms have low rates when compared to non-insurance firms. The Laffey Matrix is the most prevalent system for determining lawyer fees in the United States.
With this system, the hourly rates of an attorney are established according to the years of experience he or she has in this field. For example, attorneys who have 20+ years of experience command an hourly rate of $430, whereas $380 an hour would be determined for attorneys with 11 to 19 years of experience. A lawyer with 8 to 10 years of experience would charge $315 per hour, and $255 if they had been practicing for 4 to 7 years.
On the lower end of the scale, attorney fees for those with 1 to 3 years of experience would be $215 per hour, according to the Laffey Matrix. This system is approved by many courts in the United States. Hourly attorney rates increase every year, but there are attorneys who provide their time and expertise for more than the Laffey Matrix would advise.