how much is a federal lawyer

by Prof. Maribel Bartell 8 min read

Federal lawyers can charge from $10,000 to millions of dollars in legal fees.

Full Answer

How much does a lawyer cost?

As of Feb 26, 2022, the average annual pay for a Federal Attorney in the United States is $96,075 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $46.19 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,848/week or $8,006/month. While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $179,500 and as low as $25,500, the majority of Federal …

How much does a criminal defense attorney cost in California?

Mar 05, 2022 · How much does a Attorney at United States Federal Government make? The typical United States Federal Government Attorney salary is $154,396 per year. Attorney salaries at United States Federal Government can range from $61,170 - $235,722 per year.

Do criminal defense lawyers charge hourly or fixed fees?

What if I Can’t afford to pay for a lawyer?

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How much does a Federal Attorney make?

The average annual pay for a Federal Attorney in Chicago is $96,075 an year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be...

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Federal Attorney Jobs?

Richmond, CA($117,556)Stamford, CT($114,470)Bellevue, WA($114,212)Lakes, AK($110,206)San Francisco, CA($110,179)Palmdale, CA($108,993)Santa Clara,...

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Federal Attorney Jobs in the U.S.?

Attorney Partner($152,620)Healthcare Attorney($147,812)Health Care Attorney($147,812)Insurance Attorney($137,802)Corporate Attorney($129,120)

United States Federal Government Salary FAQs

How does the salary as an Attorney at United States Federal Government compare with the base salary range for this job?

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Check out the latest Attorney Jobs or see Attorney Salaries at other companies.

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The Lawyer’S Overall Years of Experience

  • Experience is among the most-important factors that will determine a federal criminal defense lawyer’s salary. As with most careers, as a lawyer gains experience, the lawyer’s salary will increase commensurately. In fact, over the course of their careers, federal criminal defense lawyers’ salaries c...
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The Lawyer’S Experience in Federal Criminal Cases

  • While overall experience is a key factor, relevantexperience is even more important in many respects. In fact, this will bleed into several of the other factors we discuss below. As we mentioned above, federal criminal defense is a unique area of practice, and even a highly-experienced state criminal defense lawyer won’t necessarily be able to jump into defending clien…
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The Types of Federal Cases The Lawyer Handles

  • Within the area of federal criminal defense, there are numeroussubareas of practice. Defending clients against federal drug charges and murder charges is very different from defending clients against charges of health care fraud and securities fraud, for example. While no one area of federal practice is inherently “better” than any other, cases that involve more sophisticated issue…
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The Size of The Lawyer’S Firm

  • Firm size is a relevant factor when it comes to federal criminal defense lawyers’ salaries as well. It is no secret that big law firms typically pay more than one and two-lawyer offices. However, due to the unique nature of federal criminal practice, many smaller and mid-sized firms have carved out niches in this space. These “boutique” firms often work with a high volume of sophisticated clien…
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How Much Business The Lawyer Creates For The Firm

  • As lawyers progress in their career, they are expected to generate business for their firms. The ability to generate business is a key factor in lawyers’ compensation and their ability to make partner—which go hand-in-hand in many cases. There are a number of ways that lawyers can generate business, and there are seminars and coaching services lawyers can utilize to help gro…
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The Lawyer’S Case History

  • A lawyer who has an extensive case history in federal criminal matters will generally be able to command a higher salary than a lawyer whose case history is limited. This is related to, though not necessarily in lockstep with, a lawyer’s experience. Some lawyers are more efficient than others, and some have more success than others as well. So, while the length of a lawyer’s care…
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The Lawyer’S Reputation

  • If a lawyer has a strong reputation in the federal defense bar, this can provide significant leverage in salary negotiations. The lawyer may have several firms vying for his or her services, and the lawyer will be able to use this to his or her advantage. Typically, a lawyer’s reputation is gained through experience and results. Publishing articles and gaining media exposure can enhance a l…
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The Lawyer’S Capabilities

  • Clients are willing to pay for success, and this means that law firms are willing to pay lawyers who can consistently deliver positive results. Federal criminal defense lawyers who are able to routinely achieve favorable outcomes during investigations, grand jury proceedings, and criminal trials will provide firms with strong selling points, and they will usually see their salaries rise the …
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The Geographic Location Where The Lawyer Practices

  • Geography is an important factor for determining federal criminal defense lawyers’ salaries. For example, ZipRecruiter reports that major cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. are among the locales with the highest average salaries for federal criminal defense lawyers. Additionally, Comparably reports that while federal criminal defense lawyers’ b…
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The Lawyer’S Assumption of A Partnership Or Leadership Role

  • Finally, we touched on partnership briefly, but it is work addressing on its own. As lawyers advance in their careers, becoming a partner, and then taking on a leadership role such as managing partner, can have a significant impact on their overall compensation. For many lawyers, making partner is one of their primary career goals—specifically because of the financial benefit…
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