how much does a divorce attorney earn

by Araceli Klein 9 min read

The average salary for Divorce Lawyer Jobs in California is $147,125*. Now you know the average salary for divorce lawyers in California, which is $147.1K.

Full Answer

What is the average cost of a divorce lawyer?

You can get an inexperienced lawyer for $330 an hour, but you’ll be dealing with that lack of experience throughout your divorce process. A lawyer with twice as much experience may have a much higher hourly rate, sometimes as much as $700 or more.

What is the average salary of a divorce lawyer?

Salaries in New York City, NY Area

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What is the hourly rate for a divorce lawyer?

The first part of the total bill for a divorce lawyer is the hourly rate. Our survey showed an average rate of $270 an hour for divorce lawyers across the United States, but individual rates varied a lot.

What are the requirements to become a divorce lawyer?

  • Required Education. There is no specific undergraduate degree necessary for a career as a divorce lawyer. ...
  • Licensure. Upon successful completion of law school and receipt of a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. ...
  • Job Skills. Overall, prospective divorce lawyers must have excellent written and savvy oral communication skills.
  • Occupational Statistics. ...

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Divorce Lawyer

Review the job openings, similar jobs, level of education, and experience requirements for the Divorce Lawyer job to confirm that it is the job you are seeking.

Average Total Cash Compensation

These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Divorce Lawyer in the United States. The base salary for Divorce Lawyer ranges from $72,321 to $98,135 with the average base salary of $84,839.

How much should you be paid?

For a real-time salary target, tell us more about your role in the four categories below.

How much do divorce lawyers make?

The average annual salary for family lawyers, including divorce lawyers, is $79,601 per year. Divorce lawyers may also receive other benefits in addition to their salary, including health insurance, retirement contribution and paid time off. Your salary can vary depending on things like your location, level of experience ...

How do I become a divorce lawyer?

How to become a divorce lawyer. If you're interested in becoming a divorce lawyer, consider following these steps: 1. Earn an undergraduate degree. To attend law school, you must first earn an undergraduate degree. There is no specific major that students have to complete but some choose a pre-law program.

What is divorce lawyer 2021?

June 10, 2021. Divorce lawyers a re professionals who assist clients with divorce and legal separation practices. To effectively help clients, divorce lawyers need certain skills like communication and problem-solving. If you're interested in this career, learning more about the typical duties, job outlook and salary for this role could help you ...

What skills do divorce lawyers need?

Skills for divorce lawyers. Divorce lawyers need certain soft and hard skills to do their jobs well, including: Analytical: Divorce lawyers need good analytical skills to be able to evaluate the information for cases. Negotiation: Much of a divorce lawyer's job is negotiating.

Why do people need divorce lawyers?

When people decide to get divorced, they use lawyers to help split their assets. As people continue getting married and divorced , there will be a need for divorce lawyers. Families may also use divorce lawyers to navigate legal matters related to adoptions.

What is the first step to becoming a divorce lawyer?

This exam is only available in February and June. The first part of the test is the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). The second part of the test is the Multi-State Essay Examination (MSEE).

Can I open my own divorce practice?

Over time, as you develop your skills and learn more about the marital laws in your state, you may advance in the firm. Some divorce lawyers also choose to open up their own practice once they've developed their family law experience.

How Much Do Divorce Attorney Make?

Law is one of the highest-paid professions in our country. But the income varies in the field in which lawyers excel. As of this year, an average divorce lawyer salary ranges between $79,393 and $97,061 in the US.

Who Is A Divorce Lawyer?

A lawyer that specializes in family law is known as a divorce lawyer. These attorneys are also called family lawyers because they not only handle divorce cases but family issues and domestic relations cases too. A family and divorce attorney also has experience in child custody, child and spousal support.

Requirements To Become A Divorce Lawyer

To become a divorce lawyer, there are no additional requirements, all you need to have is a bachelor’s degree and a few additional courses that will help you become a better family and divorce lawyer. Attendance in a law school and passing the bar examination are necessary.

What Skills Do Divorce Lawyers Require?

The process of terminating a marriage can be a hard one, not just for the family but for a divorce lawyer, if hired. A divorce attorney is responsible for the distribution of assets and debts equally between spouses. If the couple has a child, the lawyer will settle the terms of child custody and provide details regarding child support.

How Much Do Divorce Lawyers Make In A Year?

As recorded on March 16, 2022, a divorce attorney can make $83,151 annually. In this case, the average hourly rate for a divorce lawyer turns out to be $40. However, these salaries can go as low as $24,000 and high as $117,500 annually.

Top 10 States With High Divorce Lawyer Salaries

For your ease, we have categorized divorce attorney salary by a state that pays the divorce attorney more than the national average. Number one on our list is Richmond CA, followed by Stamford CT, and Bellevue WA in the second and third positions. Richmond is 22.4% above the national average while Bellevue beats it by 18.9%.

How Do Divorce Lawyers Charge Fee?

A divorce lawyer salary is calculated by how much they charge in an hour. Unlike other attorneys, divorce lawyers don’t take a flat fee because every case is different from another and may require either shorter or extensive research and preparation. There are cases when the surface situation looks similar, but the results can be different.

1. Corporate Law

The primary role of a corporate lawyer in a large law firm is to ensure the legality of company transactions. In most cases, attorneys' salaries with big law firms will start somewhere between $30,000 and $100,000 a year, depending on the size, location and financial condition of the employer.

2. Criminal Law

Criminal defense lawyers represent individuals under investigation for a crime or who have been arrested for a crime. There is room for a huge difference in salaries depending on the type of criminal cases the attorney handles. The salary trajectory based on the type of criminal lawyer and years of experience is:

3. Bankruptcy Law

Attorneys who handle bankruptcy matters assist individuals and companies in filing for bankruptcy relief. They may also work with creditors to file claims in bankruptcy cases.

4. Family Law

Family law is another area of law that is in high demand. It covers all matters related to divorce, including custody, property division, and domestic support. Family law also includes martial agreements and paternity questions.

5. Immigration Law

When it comes to types of private practice lawyers that make the most compensation, immigration lawyers round up the bottom of the list, according to labor statistics. Immigration lawyers are people who work in the field of helping citizens obtain legal documentation of their current status in the United States.

6. Civil Rights Lawyer

A person that focuses on cases that revolve around things like equality, social freedom, human rights, and discrimination are civil rights lawyers. Often, they handle cases where citizens are put under scrutiny for things they cannot control—the color of their skin, sexual orientation, etc.

7. Personal Injury Lawyer

How much money personal injury lawyers made in the United States during 2019 was $122,960 per year, according to the American Bar Association.

Divorce Lawyer

Review the job openings, similar jobs, level of education, and experience requirements for the Divorce Lawyer job to confirm that it is the job you are seeking.

Average Total Hourly Cash Compensation

These charts show the average hourly wage (core compensation), as well as the average total hourly cash compensation for the job of Divorce Lawyer in the United States. The average hourly rate for Divorce Lawyer ranges from $35 to $47 with the average hourly pay of $41.

How much should you be paid?

For a real-time salary target, tell us more about your role in the four categories below.

What do you do when your spouse is a lawyer?

communicating with your spouse’s attorney (or directly with your self-represented spouse) and anyone else involved in the case. reviewing documents and performing research. discovery (such as requesting documents or other information and conducting depositions) drafting settlement agreements.

Why does divorce take so long?

There are several reasons divorces can take a long time, including the number and type of contested issues, combative spouses (or attorneys), the amount of time needed to gather evidence about things like complex finances or custody issues, and whether you go to trial.

How long does it take for an attorney to bill you?

Attorneys generally bill you (usually increments of six to 15 minutes ) for everything they do in connection with your case, including: every communication you have with them (whether by phone, text, or email), from quick status phone calls to dealing with your email about who gets the Instapot.

Do divorce attorneys charge by the hour?

Divorce attorneys almost always charge by the hour, rather than a flat fee, because every divorce case is unique. Even if your situation looks similar on the surface to another couple’s (a two-income household with two kids and a home owned together), it doesn’t mean your case will turn out the same way.

Can an attorney predict how much work will take?

Because of this, attorneys can’t predict how much work your case will take. However, our survey results on total costs (discussed below) can give you a general idea of what other people paid their lawyers overall, and how certain factors affected those fees.

Can a divorce judge order a spouse to pay for attorney fees?

Sharing Legal Fees in Divorces. In most states, family law judges may order one spouse to pay for part of the other spouse’s attorneys’ fees, especially when there’s a big difference in their incomes and one spouse needs the help in order to have an equal playing field.

1. Divorce Lawyer Salary in the United States

These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Divorce Lawyer in the United States (1) …

2. Average Divorce Lawyer Salary – PayScale

The average salary for a Divorce Lawyer is $95213. Visit PayScale to research divorce lawyer salaries by city, experience, skill, employer and more. (4) …

3. Lawyer Salary – Top 10 Law Careers – CRUSH The LSAT 2021

The median annual salary of a family lawyer, according to PayScale.com, is $70,828. In family law, an attorney’s degree of specialization and experience (7) …

8. How Much Will My Divorce Cost and How Long Will it Take?

Results from Nolo’s nationwide divorce survey—typical hourly fees for divorce attorneys, total divorce costs, how long the divorce process takes, and more. By (24) …

10. How much does a divorce cost? – Thervo

The average cost for a divorce is $15000 with a divorce lawyer costing aronud $250 per hour. Hiring a divorce lawyer for representation, you will likely (29) …

1. Divorce Lawyer Salary in the United States

These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Divorce Lawyer in the United States (1) …

2. How much do divorce lawyers make? – Quora

The lowest 10% of lawyers make around $58,220 a year, the halfway annual salary for lawyers is $120,910 a year, and the highest 10% of lawyers make $208,000 a 15 answers · 1 vote: In Texas, there are a few pro bono attorneys (free) to ones that charge over $750 per hour. (4) …

4. How Much Does a Family Lawyer Make? (Here are the Stats)

The average salary for a Divorce lawyer in the US ranges between $72,000 and $96,000 depending on educational background, certifications, experience, and skill (9) …

8. Attorneys Fees in Tennessee Divorce Law FAQs

Attorneys fees in TN divorces: how much do divorce fees cost, typical fees, and taxes and make recommendations about property division and support. (24) …

10. how much does a divorce lawyer make an hour

Many competent and highly regarded lawyers do not charge for initial A family practice divorce lawyer can expect to earn $70,000 in his first year, (29) …

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Corporate Law

  • The primary role of a corporate lawyer in a large law firm is to ensure the legality of company transactions. In most cases, attorneys’ salaries with big law firms will start somewhere between $30,000 and $100,000 a year, depending on the size, location and financial condition of the employer. The best graduates of top law schools can expect much higher salaries and legal care…
See more on schmidtandclark.com

Criminal Law

  • Criminal defense lawyers represent individuals under investigation for a crime or who have been arrested for a crime. There is room for a huge difference in salaries depending on the type of criminal cases the attorney handles. The salary trajectory based on the type of criminal lawyer and years of experience is: Public prosecutor 1. Entry-level criminal lawyers with less than five y…
See more on schmidtandclark.com

Bankruptcy Law

  • Attorneys who handle bankruptcy matters assist individuals and companies in filing for bankruptcy relief. They may also work with creditors to file claims in bankruptcy cases. The salaries of Bankruptcy Lawyers in the US range from $13,985 to $377,698, with a median salary of $68,292 . The middle 57% of Bankruptcy Lawyers make between $68,292 and $171,420, with th…
See more on schmidtandclark.com

Family Law

  • Family law is another area of law that is in high demand. It covers all matters related to divorce, including custody, property division, and domestic support. Family law also includes martial agreements and paternity questions. As of August 2022, the average Family Law Attorney salary is $85,716, but the range typically falls between $73,078 and $...
See more on schmidtandclark.com

Immigration Law

  • When it comes to types of private practice lawyers that make the most compensation, immigration lawyers round up the bottom of the list, according to labor statistics. Immigration lawyers are people who work in the field of helping citizens obtain legal documentation of their current status in the United States. On average, a salary for an immigration lawyer rests around …
See more on schmidtandclark.com

Civil Rights Lawyer

  • A person that focuses on cases that revolve around things like equality, social freedom, human rights, and discrimination are civil rights lawyers. Often, they handle cases where citizens are put under scrutiny for things they cannot control—the color of their skin, sexual orientation, etc. These lawyers enforce the freedoms of these people, and their right to exist as who they are. Where the…
See more on schmidtandclark.com

Personal Injury Lawyer

  • How much money personal injury lawyersmade in the United States during 2019 was $122,960 per year, according to the American Bar Association. Personal injury attorneys have a positive job outlook, but the future growth in wages is about the same as other comparable industries. Therefore, a personal injury lawyer can expect to earn somewhere between the low end of the av…
See more on schmidtandclark.com

Salaries For Other Types of Lawyers

  1. Tax Attorneys / Tax Lawyers– The average salary for Tax Lawyers with extensive tax laws knowledge is $88,863 an year.
  2. IP Lawyers, IP Attorneys– The average Intellectual Property Attorney salary is $174,562 as of August 27, 2022, but the range for intellectual property lawyers typically falls between $158,390 and $...
  1. Tax Attorneys / Tax Lawyers– The average salary for Tax Lawyers with extensive tax laws knowledge is $88,863 an year.
  2. IP Lawyers, IP Attorneys– The average Intellectual Property Attorney salary is $174,562 as of August 27, 2022, but the range for intellectual property lawyers typically falls between $158,390 and $...
  3. Medical Lawyers – Salaries as high as $155,331 and as low as $20,154, the majority of Medical Lawyersalaries currently range between $31,950 (25th percentile) to $83,563 (75th percentile) with top...
  4. Real Estate Lawyers– The average Real Estate Attorney salary in the United States is $152,863 as of August 27, 2022, but the range typically falls between $133,300 and $169,371, includin…