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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Ohio?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Ohio 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 Ohio is $276, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Ohio can range from $114 to $423.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Ohio is $146, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Ohio can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Ohio is $250 (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 Ohio 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 Ohio

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Ohio. “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 $276 $146 $250
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 Ohio

In Ohio, 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$237
Appellate$118
Bankruptcy$349
Business$358
Civil Litigation$296
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$412
Collections$273
Commercial Sale of Goods$330
Construction$310
Contracts$415
Corporate$356
Criminal$123
Elder Law$243
Employment Labor$354
Family$268
Government$169
Immigration$423
Insurance$211
Intellectual Property$340
Juvenile$150
Mediation and Arbitration$338
Medical Malpractice$233
Other$355
Personal Injury$422
Real Estate$301
Small Claims$300
Tax$317
Traffic Offenses$114
Trusts$294
Wills and Estates$314
Worker's Compensation$202

Key performance indicators in Ohio

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Ohio. 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.
Ohio average 35% 86% 90%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Ohio


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$276$146$250
2024$268$181$255
2023$224$137$212
2022$238$139$224
2021$234$138$221

Adjusted hourly rates in Ohio

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Ohio 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$301$158$272
2024$293$198$279
2023$242$148$229
2022$267$155$252
2021$262$155$248

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Ohio?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Ohio is between $114 and $423 per hour, with the average being $276.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Ohio?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Ohio is $268 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Ohio?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Ohio is $296 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Ohio?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Ohio is $123 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Ohio?

Immigration attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Ohio, earning $423 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Ohio?

Traffic Offenses attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Ohio, earning $114 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