What is your attorneys hourly rate and how much have you paid already?

OFlahertyLaw · 2024-11-16T00:59:31+00:00

Attorney rates vary by location, specialization, and many other factors. Generally speaking, they tend to be around the $250-$800 range. a deposit of $3,500 for a retainer is usually the minimum and will need to be replenished with a degree of frequency due to the cost of things like:

-the secondary consultation (the initial consult is sometimes free of charge)

-the review of the file and the court docket (if it's an existing case)

-preparing a litigation plan

-the drafting of pleadings

-communications with the client and opposing counsel

-research

-review of drafts by senior attorneys

-updates to drafts

-communications with court clerks if needed, with witnesses if needed, etc

-meetings between attorneys and paralegals regarding strategy and updates

There are many steps involved, and depending on the complicated nature of certain proceedings, it can be a long litigation process involving many complicated factors, so a range of tens of thousands of dollars is not outside the realm of possibility.

The above information does not constitute an attorney-client relationship, it is merely for information purposes.

Alternative_dismal_ · 2024-09-12T12:59:12+00:00

With the divorce rate at 50% of first marriages and considerably higher with each subsequent marriage I can’t figure out why anyone would intentionally f*<k themselves

Ambitious-Law-5933 · 2024-07-22T00:07:44+00:00

$480 per hour for my divorce attorney. $450 per hour for my business attorney. (Specially hired for the divorce)

So far I'm at $15k (div att) + $2.5k. (biz att) She's at like $7.5k for her divorce attorney. Not sure of the rate.

STBXW just filed, so we are just starting discovery.

Other than a temporary financial agreement to cover an apartment, we are just getting this party started.

I'm thinking I'll easily hit $50k before it's over.

Good luck everybody!

Sovetcki · 2024-07-20T20:12:37+00:00

$300... I've paid $15,000 already... and I'm not even married. Just a custody battle for my son.

xeskind30 · 2024-07-19T20:03:54+00:00

I was married 15 years, together 17 years.

I was going to file, but she beat me to it. Filed in Wisconsin. It cost me $2500 retainer for the first lawyer for $150/hr. She eventually left for another firm midway through the proceedings. I was not told/informed/notified. I had to hire another lawyer at the firm for an additional $2500 retainer with $150/hr. After six months, the divorce was finalized with an amicable contract.

All total $9000+ for lawyer fees and court filings.

Three years alimony $150/month (until 2025) and the child support for one child, $950/mo, until 2030.

HerbEverstanks · 2024-07-19T19:52:14+00:00

250 an hour. My lawyer moved to a new firm 350 an hour but I still pay the old rate since I'm a good customer . I was judged to pay 21k her lawyer fees. 3.5 years, she had 4 lawyers, one trial that lasted 5 days, I'm at 117k plus the 21k. Not finished yet because she didn't list or sell the house that I paid for but lost in the final order.she still hasn't closed a joint bank account and gotten my name off her car 7 months after the final order. I'm thinking I can finish this for around 130k (151k with paying her liar).

There are no kids. She decided to be too sick to work when I got a large pay raise.

She went to court separately for not paying one of her lawyers 9k and won. So she paid almost nothing. Ends up with a house and about 500k from me for cheating and being a home wrecker. Sounds legit/s

Edit ; can't spell

david10277 · 2024-07-19T19:50:31+00:00

$450 per hr..

10k retainer everytime

Divorce cost me 80k in total

2yrs of back and forth.

Remember.. It's not the cost.. it's what it's worth..

enigmaroboto · 2024-07-19T19:39:45+00:00

500 per hour

about 20000

I had a payment plan. They were cool about stretching it out.

Ambitious-Law-5933 · 2024-07-19T19:08:55+00:00

Is anyone shocked at the legal fees? In my experience the lawyer does a bit of emailing and prepares applications and pretty basic affidavit materials. This work is not difficult, it just takes a bit of knowledge of the process and word processing skills. Essentially it’s a clerical job and once in a while they present to a judge. The whole thing felt like a show was being put on as a means to take all my savings when I was experiencing the most difficult period of my life.

AirSailer · 2024-07-19T19:03:13+00:00

Legal-expenses only totaled $40,000... $400/hr for my lawyer.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Divorce_Men/s/TrCpObG4A2

DadVader77 · 2024-07-19T18:35:25+00:00

$375 for lawyer, $125 for paralegal. Think I’m somewhere over $5000 so far

Edit: that’s only what I’ve paid, the first 20 hours were covered by my job legal plan benefit, so that was probably close to $4000+.

OctinoxateAndZinc · 2024-07-19T17:55:24+00:00

$350/hr - Just over 67 hours of work. So something like $23500 SO FAR.

WhatsTheFrequency2 · 2024-07-19T17:35:38+00:00

$450

hockeypepsi · 2024-07-19T17:21:17+00:00

I’m using my legalease plan from work. It costs 15$ a month. It covers 28 hours of attorney time for my contested divorce. So far just had to pay $500 retainer for things not covered by plan. When I meet the 28 hour limit it will be $250 hour.

BlackSun56 · 2024-07-19T16:08:39+00:00

First round I cheaped out and paid a lawyer 250 an hour due to a family recommendation…. She sucked.

I’m now back into it paying the best lawyer in the city 575 an hour… and this just to adjust child support.

My ex wife is the worst human I know.

notyourmama827 · 2024-07-19T16:03:34+00:00

The last one was 425 per hour in northern Nevada. 7.5k retainer for just saying he was the attorney. No more attorneys ......they just aren't helpful in this sittuation.

Dizzy-Ad512 · 2024-07-19T15:52:48+00:00

$400 per hour in East coast

jimsmythee · 2024-07-19T14:42:58+00:00

Granted this was a few years ago, and it's in AZ.

But my lawyer's rate was $300 an hour. And he had pro-rated rates for "in person meetings" and "voice calls" and "emails". So what did I do? I 95% of the time dealt with his para-legal over email only. Anytime she asked me for documents, I would email them to her. I really only dealt with my lawyer in person a few times and then twice in court, once for temporary orders and once at trial. That was it. End cost of taking my divorce to trial was $5000.

DetroiterInTX · 2024-07-19T14:03:31+00:00

About 4 years ago in PA—I spent around $30k. Rate was $385. No idea what my ex spent, but I do know that when we had to go back for a custody modification, she had a new attorney because her old one wouldn’t work with her anymore.

Old-Macaroon8148 · 2024-07-19T12:27:35+00:00

I spent about $17k total, no clue what she spent but likely more. I believe he was $375/hr this was in MI.

louderthanspeech · 2024-07-19T11:37:18+00:00

$350 , Combined we've spent 45k, I've only spent 15k tho

pg19792022 · 2024-07-19T11:28:39+00:00

The more you have the more they will end up spending. Mine was around 20k. A friend spent 120k. Another friend spent only … 500 bucks. Totally respective of our worth. Crazy.

stupididiot78 · 2024-07-19T11:24:56+00:00

$350 and I try to not think about how much I've spent.

DntCareBears · 2024-07-19T10:56:37+00:00

The lawyers on both sides know that you have a business and so expect to pay a lot of money in attorney fees. Also, if your soon to be ex-wife is not working, you can expect all of her attorney fees. Typically what the lawyers will do is they see, what assets you have such as a house and if you are looking to sell the home as part of dividing the assets, they will bill crazy hours because they will get a cut of that money. So much so that it’s almost guaranteed that they will get their money because they can force place a lien on the marital property so that you pay them first. By the time you’re done you’re gonna be at about 80,000 to over $100,000 and legal fees, her attorney is going to feed her and tell her everything that she wants to hear and there’s gonna be a lot of back-and-forth so expect to pay for every single email paperwork meetings, etc.

Title	What is your attorneys hourly rate and how much have you paid already?
Author	louderthanspeech
Upvotes	6
Comments	60
Date	July 19, 2024 10:28 AM UTC (2 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/Divorce_Men
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/Divorce_Men/comments/1e70h0p/what_is_your_attorneys_hourly_rate_and_how_much/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/Divorce_Men/what-is-your-attorneys-hourly-rate-and-how-much.1524645 https://theredarchive.com/post/1524645

Comments