Skip to content

How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Delaware?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Delaware 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 Delaware is $475, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Delaware can range from $240 to $622.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Delaware is $226, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Delaware can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Delaware is $419 (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 Delaware can range from $136 to $432.

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

Jump to section

  • 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 Delaware

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Delaware. “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 $475 $226 $419
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 Delaware

In Delaware, 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$448
AppellateCurrently unavailable
Bankruptcy$622
Business$520
Civil Litigation$512
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$500
Collections$325
Commercial Sale of Goods$611
ConstructionCurrently unavailable
Contracts$360
Corporate$528
Criminal$240
Elder LawCurrently unavailable
Employment Labor$369
Family$414
GovernmentCurrently unavailable
ImmigrationCurrently unavailable
InsuranceCurrently unavailable
Intellectual Property$465
JuvenileCurrently unavailable
Mediation and ArbitrationCurrently unavailable
Medical MalpracticeCurrently unavailable
Other$377
Personal Injury$418
Real Estate$333
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
TaxCurrently unavailable
Traffic OffensesCurrently unavailable
Trusts$439
Wills and EstatesCurrently unavailable
Worker's CompensationCurrently unavailable

Key performance indicators in Delaware

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Delaware. 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.
Delaware average 33% 90% 97%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Delaware


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$475$226$419
2024$423$201$391
2023$344$173$308
2022$358$172$323
2021$353$166$315

Adjusted hourly rates in Delaware

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Delaware 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$478$227$422
2024$432$206$399
2023$352$177$316
2022$351$168$319
2021$346$163$312

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Delaware?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Delaware is between $240 and $622 per hour, with the average being $475.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Delaware?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Delaware is $414 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Delaware?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Delaware is $512 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Delaware?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Delaware is $240 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Delaware?

Bankruptcy attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Delaware, earning $622 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Delaware?

Criminal attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Delaware, earning $240 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