2026 Economics of Law Short Report Now Available

The recently released summary of the 2026 Economics of Law Report shows increases in both attorney income and hourly billing rates in Michigan. 

Median hourly billing rates also increased across the board for all attorneys, regardless of their years of service. The median hourly billing rate for all practice types is $350 and remains highest for attorneys based in Detroit’s downtown and New Center areas. 

Securities Law came in as the area of practice with the highest hourly billing rate at $625, usurping Medical Malpractice, which dropped to second place with a rate of $550. Consumer Law ranks third highest at $525. 

Released every three years, the Economics of Law Report is used to determine county-by-county and statewide average billing rates and income. It is broken down by occupation area and provides an overview of the economic state of the legal field in the state. 

Veteran attorneys (26 to 35 years of experience) posted the highest average billing rates at $384, an increase from $346 in 2023. The median hourly billing rate for new attorneys with one to two years of experience is $283, up from $250. 

Since the last report in 2023, the median gross income of our state’s attorneys rose from $165,000 to $185,000 (12%) for full-time private practitioners, and from $115,000 to $130,000 (13%) for full-time non-private practitioners. 

The 2026 report is based on 2025 data collected from Michigan attorneys and includes breakdowns of gross income by practice type and hourly billing rates by practice type, number of full-time equivalent attorneys, primary office location, field of practice, county, and circuit. 

This report provides a summary of the data. A report with additional detail from the 2026 Economics of Law Survey will be released later this year. 

Posted August 7, 2026