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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Rhode Island?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island is $369, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Rhode Island can range from $182 to $496.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Rhode Island is $207, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Rhode Island can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Rhode Island is $349 (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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Rhode Island. “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 $369 $207 $349
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 Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, 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$309
AppellateCurrently unavailable
Bankruptcy$385
Business$496
Civil Litigation$420
Civil Rights and Constitutional LawCurrently unavailable
Collections$339
Commercial Sale of Goods$299
ConstructionCurrently unavailable
ContractsCurrently unavailable
Corporate$465
Criminal$370
Elder LawCurrently unavailable
Employment Labor$350
Family$361
Government$182
Immigration$454
Insurance$237
Intellectual Property$337
JuvenileCurrently unavailable
Mediation and ArbitrationCurrently unavailable
Medical MalpracticeCurrently unavailable
Other$344
Personal Injury$338
Real Estate$448
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
Tax$463
Traffic Offenses$373
Trusts$385
Wills and Estates$382
Worker's Compensation$239

Key performance indicators in Rhode Island

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Rhode Island. 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.
Rhode Island average 44% 87% 97%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Rhode Island


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$369$207$349
2024$317$184$303
2023$240$170$234
2022$238$157$228
2021$221$120$211

Adjusted hourly rates in Rhode Island

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Rhode Island 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$364$204$344
2024$303$176$290
2023$235$167$229
2022$241$159$231
2021$224$122$214

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Rhode Island?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Rhode Island is between $182 and $496 per hour, with the average being $369.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Rhode Island?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Rhode Island is $361 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Rhode Island?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Rhode Island is $420 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Rhode Island?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Rhode Island is $370 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Rhode Island?

Business attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Rhode Island, earning $496 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Rhode Island?

Government attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Rhode Island, earning $182 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