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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Illinois?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Illinois 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 Illinois is $350, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Illinois can range from $180 to $565.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Illinois is $204, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Illinois can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Illinois is $325 (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 Illinois 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 Illinois

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Illinois. “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 $350 $204 $325
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 Illinois

In Illinois, 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$373
Appellate$278
Bankruptcy$565
Business$357
Civil Litigation$357
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$353
Collections$307
Commercial Sale of Goods$346
Construction$313
Contracts$341
Corporate$419
Criminal$305
Elder Law$310
Employment Labor$416
Family$343
Government$203
Immigration$511
Insurance$226
Intellectual Property$489
Juvenile$188
Mediation and Arbitration$311
Medical Malpractice$260
Other$386
Personal Injury$534
Real Estate$400
Small Claims$305
Tax$485
Traffic Offenses$444
Trusts$368
Wills and Estates$334
Worker's Compensation$180

Key performance indicators in Illinois

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Illinois. 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.
Illinois average 40% 85% 94%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Illinois


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$350$204$325
2024$349$200$328
2023$305$179$286
2022$314$162$293
2021$309$160$288

Adjusted hourly rates in Illinois

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Illinois 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$354$206$329
2024$345$197$324
2023$301$176$282
2022$312$161$290
2021$306$159$286

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Illinois?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Illinois is between $180 and $565 per hour, with the average being $350.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Illinois?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Illinois is $343 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Illinois?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Illinois is $357 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Illinois?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Illinois is $305 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Illinois?

Bankruptcy attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Illinois, earning $565 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Illinois?

Worker's Compensation attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Illinois, earning $180 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