Attorney Fee Calculator

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Example data table

Formula used

• Net liens = liens − lien reductions.
• Net before fees = max(gross recovery − costs − net liens, 0).
• Contingency fee = base × rate, where base is gross or net.
• Tiered fee = Σ(tier amount × tier rate) across tiers.
• Billed hours = max(rounded(hours, increment), minimum billed hours).
• Hourly fees = (rate × billed hours) × (1 − discount).
• Hybrid fee = flat + min(hourly, cap) + (base × add-on rate).
• Tax = (fee + success bonus) × tax rate.
• Attorney total = fee + bonus + tax.
• Attorney total after credit = max(attorney total − fee award credit, 0).
• Late interest = amount due × annual rate × (days overdue ÷ 365).
• Client net = gross − costs − net liens − attorney total.
• Amount due = max(attorney total after credit − retainer, 0).
• Amount due with interest = amount due + late interest.

How to use this calculator

1. Select your billing model from the dropdown.
2. Enter recovery, costs, liens, and any reductions.
3. Fill the fee details for your selected model.
4. If hourly is used, set rounding and billing increments.
5. Optional: set caps, taxes, retainers, credits, and interest settings.
6. Click Calculate to view results above the form.
7. Use the export buttons to save CSV or PDF reports.

Fee drivers in typical matters

Attorney charges usually track complexity, urgency, and risk. A routine filing may run 5–12 hours, while discovery-heavy disputes can exceed 150 hours. Travel, experts, and records often add 3%–10% of the matter’s value as expenses. Use this calculator to translate those drivers into rates, caps, minimums, credits, and taxes for consistent estimates. Update inputs as offers change, and archive versions for future reference.

Contingency versus hourly economics

Contingency pricing transfers risk to counsel, so percentages often rise when recovery is uncertain or collection is difficult. Hourly pricing keeps risk with the client, but it can be controlled with discounts, billing increments, minimum billed time, and caps. Compare both by using the same recovery, costs, and lien figures, then switching the model to see how client net changes.

Costs, liens, and reduction effects

Costs and liens reduce the funds available before fees. If liens are negotiated down, the client’s net can improve materially without changing the fee rate. Enter gross recovery, expenses, lien totals, and reductions to see how “net before fees” shifts and how fee bases change under gross-versus-net settings. A $10,000 lien reduction on a 33% net-based fee can preserve about $6,700 for the client.

Caps, minimums, bonuses, and credits

Minimum fees protect against low recoveries, while maximum fees help clients manage exposure on large outcomes. Success bonuses can reflect performance milestones or accelerated timelines. Tax inputs model jurisdictions where fees are taxable, and retainer credits show what remains due. A fee award credit can reduce the client-paid attorney total when reimbursement is likely, but treat it as uncertain until ordered and collected.

Reporting and split transparency

Financial clarity improves decision-making during intake and settlement talks. Export the fee schedule and results to CSV for negotiation notes, or to PDF for a client-ready summary. Referral and co-counsel splits are shown separately for transparency and do not change client net. Use the chart to visualize allocation across client, counsel, costs, and liens at a glance.

FAQs

What does “gross recovery” mean here?

Gross recovery is the total settlement or judgment amount before any deductions. Enter the full amount expected to be received, then add costs, liens, and reductions so the calculator can estimate net recovery and fee bases correctly.

Should I base a contingency fee on gross or net?

Some agreements calculate the percentage on the gross amount, while others use net after costs and liens. Use the “Contingency base” selector to model both, then rely on your signed agreement for the controlling rule.

How does billing increment rounding work for hourly matters?

If rounding is enabled, the calculator rounds time up to the selected minute increment, then converts it to billed hours. This commonly models 6‑minute or 15‑minute billing. A minimum billed hours setting can also be applied.

What is a fee award credit?

A fee award credit reduces the client-paid attorney total when reimbursement from the other party is expected. It is shown as a credit after fees, bonus, and tax are calculated. Treat it as an estimate unless collection is certain.

Do referral and co-counsel splits change the client’s net?

No. Splits are informational and show how the attorney’s fee and bonus may be distributed among counsel. They do not change the recovery allocation between client, costs, liens, and total attorney charges.

What gets exported in CSV and PDF reports?

Exports include the selected billing model, key inputs, fee totals, credits, amount due, and a component table. The PDF also includes the allocation chart when available, making it suitable for saving a client-facing snapshot.