The 32 Firms with the Highest Rates

Even F-15 fighter pilots are envious of law firm rates. These rate increases are one of the few things on the planet able to accelerate faster than the fastest known fighter jet — the F-15.

These new orbital rates are stunning even for managing partners. But up they go. Just over half of clients say it’s worth it — leaving just under half looking for the value.

The factors driving the value behind the highest rates include:

• Solving an insurmountable problem
• Helping clients reach outsized strategic objectives
• Bringing breakthrough ideas
• Unrelenting in approach
• Nuanced counsel to match personal chemistry and legal objectives
• Diplomatic candor – unafraid to explain why clients might be wrong in their thinking
• All of the above served with exceptional client service

Moving on to the rates. The high rates paid to outside counsel are in the following ranges:

• The highest of the high flyers at $2,100 to $2,620 per hour
• Higher flyers ranging from $1,465 to $1,860
• High flyers ranging from $1,170 to $1,285

We found plenty of rates in the $800–$900 plus range — but the rates above serve as the big demarcation points. There may be a superstition around the $1,000 mark as we found almost no rates at this mark — it always jumped to $1100.

Please join me in congratulating these 32 law firms garnering the highest rates in 2024 — in alpha order:

The only thing likely to grow faster than rates is client expectations. Every rate increase triggers a jump in client expectations. The firms able to jump these 2 hurdles at once enjoy an advantage over the rest.

As you raise rates — whether setting records or not — think about how you will up the client experience. This determines the difference between sustaining your higher rates — or forcing your client to look elsewhere and pay those rates to someone else.

Take a look at who got the highest rates and what they were in 2018 here.