Minnesota family law attorneys can be expensive – if not utilized correctly. Lawyers don’t have to cost an arm and a leg if they are employed in a strategic, intentional way.
I find the average hourly rate for a family law attorney in Minnesota is around $300.00 per hour. However, downtown lawyers often charge more than $500.00 per hour for their work as a result of significant overhead expenses.
Another important factor that impacts a lawyer’s rate involves their expertise. Younger, inexperienced lawyers can’t charge as much as their tenured counterparts. While their hourly rate may be lower, they don’t typically work as efficiently as an experienced lawyer. A lower hourly rate doesn’t necessarily mean lower overall expense for your court case.
In addition to hourly rates, you should consider the number of hours likely to be billed on your file.
Uncontested divorces, in which you and your spouse work out the terms of your divorce through direct discussions, are always cheaper because the attorney doesn’t have to spend as much time advocating for you. Conversely, if you and your spouse need a multi-day trial to resolve disputes, your attorney will log more hours – and costs will increase.
You can lower attorney fees by choosing an experienced, reputable lawyer with a reasonable hourly rate. Good attorneys never increase the conflict in your case just to increase the number of hours they can bill. My approach is to always try the least expensive options first, saving litigation or a trial as a last resort.