Attorney Fees
Top Partner Billing Rate in South Florida Is $765 an Hour
Posted Oct 14, 2009, 11:33 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
Even the top partners at South Florida law firms don’t bill the $1,000 an hour charged by some lawyers in New York.
South Florida partners typically charge $400 to $500 an hour, while hourly rates for associates in the region generally range from $140 to $460, according to the Daily Business Review.
The publication analyzed more than 150 public court filings, mostly in bankruptcy and government cases, to arrive at its figures.
The highest billing partner was Mark Bloom of Greenberg Traurig, who charged $765 an hour as general counsel to the trustee in the bankruptcy of a bank holding company. Last year his rate was from $695 an hour.
The article also tallied the charges for some high-profile legal work. Two Miami litigation partners charged $14,000 plus travel to attend a one-day deposition of Paris Hilton. Government agencies spent up to $94,000 a month in legal fees defending the administration of Florida’s Medicaid program for children.
Nationally, law firms increased billing rates an average of 3 percent in 2009, compared to an 8 percent average last year, according to Hildebrandt International consultant Joseph Altonji.
He told the Business Review that the higher billing rates don’t tell the whole story, however. Clients are objecting to higher rates and seeking alternative billing. "Right now we are in a buyer's market for legal services. This is not a seller's market," Altonji said.
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