Calculate attorney fees for contingency, hourly, and flat-fee arrangements, including your net settlement after the fee and case costs.
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Attorney Fee Formula
The attorney fee depends on your agreement. Use the matching structure and, for a contingency fee, select whether case costs are deducted before or after the percentage is calculated. These are planning estimates in USD; taxes, liens and other deductions are not included.
Contingency fee on gross settlement (the default):
Attorney Fee = Settlement Amount * (Contingency Percentage / 100)
Net to Client = Settlement Amount - Attorney Fee - Case Costs
Hourly billing:
Total Fee = (Billable Hours * Hourly Rate) + Additional Costs
Flat fee:
Total Cost = Flat Fee + Additional Costs
Settlement Amount is the gross award, Contingency Percentage is your agreed fee rate, and Case Costs are separate expenses. For a fee calculated after costs, use (Settlement Amount - Case Costs) * Contingency Percentage / 100. Billable Hours and Hourly Rate determine hourly fees; Flat Fee is the quoted fixed amount. Blank optional costs mean zero. Fee products are rounded half up to cents before adding costs; individual time-entry billing may differ.
Illustrative Fee Inputs
The figures below illustrate possible calculator inputs, not market averages, recommended fees or legal limits. Use your actual agreement.
| Fee Structure | Example Input | Illustrative Context |
|---|---|---|
| Contingency (pre-suit) | 33.33% | Personal injury settled before filing |
| Contingency (litigation) | 40% | Cases that proceed to a lawsuit |
| Hourly | $150 to $500+ per hour | Disputes, business, family law |
| Flat fee | $500 to $5,000+ | Wills, simple filings, document review |
Example Calculations
Example 1, contingency. A case settles for $60,000 at a 33.33% contingency rate with $2,000 in case costs. The attorney fee is 60,000 * (33.33 / 100) = $19,998. The net to the client is 60,000 - 19,998 - 2,000 = $38,002.
Example 2, hourly. An attorney works 12 billable hours at $250 per hour with $300 in additional costs. The total fee is (12 * 250) + 300 = $3,300.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage do most attorneys take from a settlement?
There is no universal rate used by this calculator. Enter the percentage in your agreement; rates and permitted arrangements depend on the matter and applicable rules. Note that 33.33% is not exactly one third.
Are case costs included in the contingency fee?
Check your agreement. Enter only costs billed separately from the fee, and select the agreed deduction order. The calculator subtracts both from the settlement to estimate net recovery; if deductions exceed recovery, it reports the arithmetic shortfall rather than money received.
Which fee structure should I use in the calculator?
Pick the structure that matches your fee agreement. Use contingency for a percentage of a settlement, hourly when you are billed per hour, and flat fee when the lawyer quoted one fixed price.
