Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day.
It is not unusual for named partners to charge more than other partners. And the court is cognizant that rates increase year to year. But not to $3,000 an hour.
— U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman, explaining why she reduced plaintiffs’ lawyer David Scott’s proposed $3,000 hourly rate to $1,600 as part of a fee award in a Google privacy settlement. Freeman called the proposed rate “patently unreasonable,” Reuters reported. Hourly rates at large U.S. firms rose an average of 7% in 2025, and some Biglaw partners now charge more than $3,000 an hour, with rates reaching $4,000.
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
