Lawyers are typically considered some of the highest-paid professionals in the U.S. Whether this is true for an individual lawyer depends on their experience and legal focus. As a rule, though, attorneys do receive compensation commensurate with their education.
Does that mean the average person could never hope to afford a lawyer? Not necessarily. While many lawyers are well-paid, the legal system does offer ways to ensure that they remain affordable to those who need them.
How much does a lawyer cost, then? The answer depends on what you need them for. Here’s a look at what you can expect to pay for different kinds of legal representation.
Criminal Defense Lawyers
The one type of lawyer that most people hope to never need is a criminal defense lawyer. This professional defends you from criminal charges prosecuted by the government. Typically, these are some of the most expensive lawyers to hire.
Criminal defense lawyers may charge an hourly rate. The least expensive could charge about $200 an hour, while the most expensive may charge a few thousand an hour. Those hours can rack up quickly, and even the easiest case will probably cost several thousand dollars in the end. In extremely complex cases, you could be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Thus, the costs are very high, and defendants are unlikely to be able to pay if they end up in jail. As a result, most criminal defense lawyers ask for a retainer before taking the case. The retainer is usually high enough to cover all expected costs. If the final fee is less than the retainer, the client will be refunded the rest at the end of the case.
Public Defenders
While a criminal defense lawyer is typically very expensive, they can also be the least expensive kind of lawyer to hire. This is because the right to be represented by an attorney is protected by the Constitution.
That right has long been interpreted to mean that if you can’t afford to hire a defense lawyer against charges where your liberty is at risk, the state must provide you with an attorney for free. Thus, criminal defense lawyers have the potential to cost nothing at all.
Personal Injury Lawyers
Civil litigation attorneys are those you contact when the intentional or negligent actions of another party have harmed you.
These attorneys help with cases involving the following:
- Motorcycle, truck, or car accidents
- Dog bites
- Workplace accidents and workers’ compensation
- Product liability
- Premises liability
This is just a sampling of the types of cases that a civil litigation lawyer might handle. The goal is for them to help you obtain compensation for any losses, expenses, and suffering you endured due to the actions of another.
Unlike criminal defense lawyers, this type of attorney typically doesn’t charge an hourly rate. Instead, they usually ask for a contingency fee. This means that the attorney charges you nothing upfront.
How much they cost depends on two factors: whether they get you money and how much money they obtain for you. If they fail to get you any money, they tend to charge no fees (except possibly for expenses). Effectively, almost all civil litigation attorneys guarantee that you will pay nothing if they don’t win your case.
If the attorney successfully obtains compensation for you, they charge you a percentage of the settlement. The exact value of that percentage is different with every lawyer. However, most attorneys will charge somewhere between 25% and 40%.
Some attorneys may charge a sliding scale based on the total value. Thus, a lawyer might charge 33% on the first $1 million and 25% on any additional money obtained. Also, the Texas Labor Code places a 25% limit on contingency fees for workers’ compensation cases.
Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct
All lawyers who work in Texas must follow the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. These regulations dictate several aspects of legal work, including fees.
The first rule is that Texas lawyers may not agree to or collect an illegal or unconscionable fee. Unfortunately, while these rules provide guidelines for how to determine whether a fee is unconscionable, they do not give strict standards. This means that it is usually up to a court to determine whether a fee is unconscionable.
Additionally, all lawyers must inform clients of their fees and fee structures before providing services. Your lawyer can’t charge you until you agree to their terms (preferably in writing), and they can’t surprise you with unexpected charges at the end of their service.
This applies to all fee structures, including contingent fees that can’t be calculated until the end of the case. Even if they don’t have the exact number, the lawyer must explain the fee structure in advance and can’t change it after without your permission.
Additional Costs
When determining how much a lawyer costs, you often need to consider a factor other than the attorney’s fee. Most lawyers will also require you to pay any costs they incur while representing you.
For most lawyers, this doesn’t mean the cost of printing out documents or even light travel (like driving to the courthouse). However, most lawyers will charge for costs like court fees, any outside investigators they need to hire, or expert testimonies they seek out to help your case.
In civil litigation cases, the client often needs to pay these fees even if the attorney is unable to get them money. Thankfully, most of these costs are associated with trials. Thus, if your attorney can resolve your case without going to court, additional fees are usually minimal.
The Lawyer You Need Should Be Affordable
While lawyers typically aren’t inexpensive, you can often still afford one when you really need one. If you are facing criminal charges, the state will support you if you can’t pay the fees, and the cost is worth it for the chance of avoiding jail time. Conversely, if you need to litigate, most attorneys have a fee structure that allows you to embrace your right to file a lawsuit.
Contact the Dallas Personal Injury Law Firm of Bush Personal Injury and Car Accident Lawyers LLC Today For Help
For more information, please contact the Dallas personal injury law firm of Bush Personal Injury and Car Accident Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.
Our office is conveniently located in Dallas, near the Dallas Downtown Historic District. We serve statewide throughout Texas.
Bush Personal Injury and Car Accident Lawyers LLC
701 Commerce Street, Suite 703
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 615-6394