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Assisting with High-Stakes Attorney Fee Disputes

The NALFA

Custom Hourly Rate Surveys

Compare & Prove Hourly Rates with NALFA's Custom Hourly Rate Surveys


Custom Hourly Rate Surveys
Hourly rates are not attorney fees.  But they are the engine that drive attorney fees.  Hourly rates are one of the most important factors in determining attorney fee awards.  As such, establishing the prevailing hourly rate is paramount for any claim of attorney fees.  But an attorney's individual billing rate (a single discrete numerical value) is not the same as the prevailing market hourly rate (an aggregated numerical range or an approximate average).

Overview
NALFA conducts custom hourly rate surveys for law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies.  Our hourly rate surveys provide our clients with accurate and authoritative data on prevailing market hourly rates within a given geography and/or practice area(s).  Indeed, our hourly rates surveys have been cited by litigators in court documents and referenced by court adjuncts in court proceedings.  Our surveys can also be used for internal purposes, such as rate comparisons.

Hourly Rate Factors
NALFA has identified four factors that help determine prevailing market hourly rates.  These variables include, but are not limited to:

These four hourly rate factors have significant impact on hourly rates.  These factors are known as the primary variables and should be a part of any hourly rate survey.

Survey Proposal
Each survey is custom design to meet the needs of the client.  We work closely with the client on all aspects of the hourly rate survey.  Once we understand the clients needs, we will prepare a survey proposal.  Our proposal will include a step by step guide to the hourly rate survey.  Our flat-fee cost depends on the size and scope of the survey.  All client information is kept in strict confidence.

Survey Process & Methodology
Our hourly rate surveys are conducted via electronic mail (e-mail).  Generally, our hourly rate surveys passes through the following stages:

Survey Design / Survey Questions
Identifying Survey Population
Launch Email Survey Campaign
Achieve Representative Sample Size
Tabulate Survey Results & Report Findings

The client has the ultimate authority over the survey questions and survey design.  Good survey design leads to good data.  NALFA begins the survey process by accumulating a survey population of attorneys.  This is done through proprietary methods.  Once we have a large enough population size, the email survey can begin.  The email survey is conducted over several days or weeks.  We keep the client apprised of the surveys’ progress.  In order to increase survey participation, we can offer the survey participants certain benefits for participation, such as receiving the survey results.  We can also offer other benefits such as discounts on our CLE programs and free on-demand CLE programs.  Once we have reached a certain threshold, we conclude the survey and begin tabulating the results.

Work Product: Survey Results & Report
At the conclusion of the survey, NALFA will prepare the survey results and report.  The survey results will include the raw data of the survey.  The survey report includes a detailed narrative of the survey process and methodology.  Our report will not draw survey conclusion of findings.  Throughout the entire survey process, NALFA respects the privacy of survey participants and will never disclose the named of individuals or law firms.