No Lincoln Lawyer Charges $3.4K an Hour

Letter to Philippians: Having worked for 3 international law firms for over 17 years before retiring, I know outrageous hourly rates of the nation’s elite mouth pieces. BUT news that “Top Lawyers’ Fees Have Skyrocketed to $3,400 an Hour” is a bridge too far.

The question for the legal profession in today’s greedy society might be … as it is for so many money grubbers, including those among our pols, entertainers, shrinks, dentists, doctors, athletes, executives and Somali migrants … “When is a soaring take home pay ever enough?” The WSJ story warns us to “Be Prepared” for the latest sticker shock. But how does one get their head around paying $3,400 to talk for one stinking hour to a depressed, cocaine addicted, suicidal recently divorced lawyer who is being investigated by the FBI? I still recall being offended at the biggest rain makers in my law firms starting to charge what was then an outrageous $1,000 per hour.

The good news is that this hourly rate inflation described in the WSJ still applies to only a few “rock stars” who have suckered individual or corporate “rock star” (and filthy rich) clients into hiring them for that astronomical sum. Solo practitioners and small to mid-sized firms still usually charge under $500 per hour, depending upon the city, a partner’s years of experience and the type of work involved. And, while the $100 per hour rate may be a thing of the past on paper, a commoner can still often negotiate that price with a lawyer who is humble, reasonable and loves the law just for the precious justice it provides us all – exactly the type of Lincoln Lawyer you want representing you in court.

Davd Soul