How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Texas?

Charge too much and you lose clients. Charge too little and you lose profits.

The Clio Legal Trends Report shows exactly what Texas lawyers charge, bill, and collect, so you can stay competitive and profitable.

Key Texas Benchmarks (2025):

• Lawyers average hourly rate: $367/hour
• Law firms average hourly rate: $313/hour
• Cost-of-living–adjusted (lawyers): $323/hour
• KPI benchmarks: Utilization – 37% | Realization – 87% | Collection – 92%
• Top-earning practice areas in Texas: Traffic Offenses ($554/hr), Corporate ($520/hr), Intellectual Property ($510/hr)
• Lowest-earning practice areas in Texas: Juvenile ($146/hr), Worker’s Comp ($180/hr), Small Claims ($206/hr)

These numbers reflect what firms across Texas are earning right now. Use them to set a rate that’s competitive and aligned with the market.

Lawyers' Hourly Rates in Texas

Legal billing in Texas covers a wide range. According to the Clio Legal Trends Report, rates stretch from $180/hour in lower-paying practice areas like Workers’ Compensation to $554/hour in high-demand specialties such as Traffic Offenses.

That’s a 207% difference between the lowest and highest ends of the spectrum! Your practice area matters just as much as your experience.

Compared with its neighbors, Texas sits comfortably above average as per Clio’s reporting.

• Oklahoma lawyers average $278/hour
• New Mexico lawyers average $280/hour
• Texas attorneys average $367/hour

That puts Texas about 30–32% higher than nearby states — particularly in cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston, where business and tech growth continue to push rates upward.

In short, your hourly rate in Texas shouldn’t just reflect time spent. It should reflect market reality, specialization, and value.

Lawyers Hourly Rates by Practice Area in Texas

Every practice area tells a story.

Some pay top dollar, others barely cover the hours you put in. Check out what Texas lawyers really charge, bill, and collect.

Hourly Rates for Texas Law Firms

— Unadjusted Hourly Rates for Texas Lawyers

Texas lawyers bill an average of $313/hour (not adjusted for cost of living) — meaning this number reflects raw billing rates, not what those dollars are worth after local expenses.

By comparison, Oklahoma averages $253/hour and New Mexico $266/hour. This puts Texas roughly 15-20% higher than its nearby peers.

— Adjusted Hourly Rates for Texas Lawyers

When adjusted for cost of living, Texas lawyers average $378/hour, reflecting what their billing power looks like after factoring in local expenses and regional purchasing power.

By comparison, Oklahoma averages $287/hour and New Mexico $266/hour, keeping Texas just a few points above its neighboring states — and competitive across the southern legal market.

Texas Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Your hourly rate is only part of the story. What really determines profit is your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

KPIs reflect how many of your hours turn into income. According to the Clio Legal Trends Report 2025, Texas lawyers perform close to the national averages in all 3 key areas.

— Utilization rate 37%

This is the percentage of a lawyer’s total workday spent on billable, revenue-generating work. 

The Texas national average is 37%, while Illinois sits higher at 40%, showing how efficiency directly impacts earning potential.

— Realization rate 87%

Your realization rate shows how much of your billable time actually makes it onto an invoice - after write-offs, discounts, or canceled work.

In Texas, lawyers realize about 87% of the hours they log, slightly above the national average of 86%. By comparison, Florida comes in at 81%, suggesting Texas firms are doing a better job of turning tracked hours into billed revenue.

— Collection rate 92%

Collection rate measures how much of that billed revenue actually gets paid.

Texas lawyers collect 92% of what they invoice, just under the national average of 93%. Hawaii, by contrast, maintains a 96% collection rate, showing how strong follow-up and payment systems can make a measurable difference in total earnings.

Law Firm vs Solo Lawyers Rates in Texas

— Lawyer Rates

— Law Firm Rates

‍

Frequently Asked Questions