Why Legal Representation Is So Costly

All lawyers do is talk, right? And don't they say talk is cheap? Not when there's a Juris Doctorate after the person's name.

Lawyers charge a lot because they usually have high overhead: an office, a receptionist, a secretary. Someone has to pay for it, and it won't be the lawyer. Lawyers have at least seven years of post-high school education (four years of college and three years of law school). For recent graduates, educational costs could be as high as $120,000 or more. The lawyer is recouping that investment.

Finally, lawyers charge what the traffic will bear. Put simply, moneyed clients are ready and willing to pay these high fees, and there are enough moneyed clients around to keep lawyers from having to worry about volume. As more attorneys enter the field, billing practices are beginning to change, and fees are coming down in some areas. But until that happens in more significant numbers, costs will remain high. Remember that you will need to pay your lawyer at the current market rate if you want her to work for you.