On average, discrimination lawyers will usually charge between $300 and $500 per hour or more. How much a lawyer will cost, however, may vary greatly depending on many factors, such as the attorney’s experience and location as well as whether they offer a contingency fee arrangement.
When a discrimination lawyer offers clients a contingency fee arrangement to handle their case, they will likely charge between 25% and 40% of the damages that are recovered in the case. With a contingency fee arrangement, the attorney does not get paid unless they win their client’s case.
What Do Discrimination Lawyers Do?
Discrimination lawyers are attorneys who help their clients with many different types of discrimination issues, including employment discrimination, unintentional discrimination and workplace discrimination laws. In addition, a lawyer can help an individual learn how to document discrimination at work.
In general, discrimination refers to situations in which an individual is treated less favorably based on a protected class under federal law, such as their:
- Age
- Sex
- Political affiliation
- Gender
- Disability status
- Religion
- Nationality
- Race
Discrimination may also refer to any type of situation in which one group is being treated more favorably than another group, based on the same types of characteristics. There may also be laws that include categories in addition to those listed above.
There are local, state, and federal laws that prohibit certain individuals from engaging in discriminatory conduct, which typically includes:
- Landlords
- Lenders
- Employers
- Other parties
One common example of discrimination occurs when an employer will not hire a prospective job candidate based on their race. Additionally, employment discrimination is one of the more common forms of discrimination that individuals face. Harassment involving discrimination may also occur in a workplace, such as when a worker is harassed because of their age.
It is important to be aware that there are both federal and state discrimination laws that may result in various consequences for discrimination issues. An attorney can help an individual find out more about the laws in their state and how they may apply to their situation.
A discrimination attorney can also help an individual determine what types of claims or disputes they may have, which may include:
Other forms of discrimination may also occur that are based on legally-recognized medical issues, such as:
In addition to all of these types of claims, examples of lesser known discrimination claims include:
Many discrimination cases may also involve multiple discrimination factors. For example, an employer may discriminate against a worker based on both their race and their gender.
Lawyers can help workers as well as employers. They will be able to explain to employers the possible disability discrimination defenses and other types of defenses that may be available in claims made against them.
A discrimination lawyer can help an individual understand all of the possible claims that may be available in their case as well as the remedies they may receive. An attorney will also be able to provide their client with advice on the process and different ways to resolve their claim.
What Factors Affect the Cost of a Discrimination Lawyer?
There are numerous factors that can influence the cost of a discrimination lawyer, including:
- The complexity of the case
- Whether there are multiple claims
- The location of the lawyer’s practice
- The years of experience the lawyer has
- The fee arrangement they use, such as an hourly fee or contingency fee
- The amount of discovery that is required
- Expert witness fees, if necessary
- How long the case is expected to take to resolve
If the claim has multiple parties, complex legal issues, or large amounts of documentation, the cost of legal representation is likely to increase. The location of the lawyer’s practice and where the case is filed can affect costs, as costs are typically higher in large cities than in smaller towns. Additionally, more experienced lawyers may charge higher fees.
The fee arrangement can impact the overall cost of resolving the case. Hourly fees may vary depending on the complexity of the issues. Contingency fees may result in a client spending less of their own funds, as they do not pay attorney’s fees unless the lawyer wins the case.
The discovery process can impact the cost of a case. If depositions and document requests are necessary, it will increase the costs because of the time and resources required to gather this evidence.
The cost of having a lawyer will also increase if expert witnesses are necessary. Human resources experts, sociologists, and psychologists are examples of expert witnesses that are commonly used in employment discrimination cases.
The overall cost of hiring a lawyer will also increase the longer the case takes to resolve and the more likely that a trial will be required. When a case goes to trial, there may be travel costs and jury fees.
How Do Discrimination Lawyers Charge for Their Services?
In many cases, a discrimination lawyer will use a contingency fee arrangement to charge for their services. As noted above, this means they will only be paid if they win the case and their client gets a court award or if their client receives a settlement.
It is common for contingency percentages to range from 25% to 40% of an award or settlement. This amount may increase for more complex cases and more experienced lawyers.
This fee arrangement can allow an individual who does not have the resources to hire an attorney access to legal assistance. This arrangement also provides an incentive to the attorney to handle the case as best they can to ensure they are paid for their work.
For cases that are not likely to go to court, a lawyer may use an hourly fee structure for initial consultations or specific tasks. Some attorneys will offer free consultations, where they waive their consultation fee, especially in contingency fee arrangements.
Some attorneys may require their clients to pay a retainer fee. This is an upfront payment that the lawyer bills against as they work on their client’s case.
In some situations, the retainer fee will be refundable if it is not completely used. It is important for an individual to ask whether a retainer fee will be refundable if they have to pay one when hiring their discrimination attorney.
How Can You Save Money on Discrimination Lawyer Costs?
There may be ways that an individual can save money on discrimination lawyer costs, such as:
- Discussing alternative fee structures with their lawyer, such as hourly rates instead of contingency fees
- Asking for a reduced retainer amount
- Seeing if the lawyer will offer unbundled legal services where the client only pays for specific tasks, for example, drafting a letter, reviewing documents, or representing the client during a specific legal process, such as mediation
- Compare lawyer rates in the area to find a competitive amount
- Contact local legal aid organizations and see if an individual qualifies for free or reduced fee services
- Ask for clear and detailed communication about fees and what those fees will cover
- Contact the local bar association to see if there are lawyers who offer pro bono work or reduced fees in certain types of cases
- Ask the attorney if they accept payment plans, which can allow the client to spread out the costs over time
- Use LegalMatch.com’s free attorney matching service to get information on the costs of discrimination lawyers in your area
What Questions Should You Ask a Discrimination Lawyer Before Hiring?
A potential client may have many questions for a discrimination lawyer before they choose to hire them. It can be very helpful to prepare for a consultation and put these questions into writing and take the list to the meeting.
Common examples of questions that a potential client may want to ask a discrimination attorney before hiring include:
- How much experience do you have?
- How many cases similar to mine have you handled?
- What was your success rate?
- How do you charge for my type of case?
- What claims may I have?
- What are the possible outcomes?
- Who will be working on my case?
- Do you have reviews from previous clients?
- Will I have to pay a retainer fee?
- Will the retainer fee be refundable?
Is It Worth Hiring a Discrimination Lawyer?
A potential client may be wondering whether it would be worth hiring a discrimination lawyer, and the answer is yes. These types of cases can involve complicated issues, multiple types of discrimination, and large companies.
There are many employers who have lawyers on their staff who are experienced in defending the company against these types of claims. A worker may feel intimidated when they try to handle a discrimination issue alone.
For employers, it is essential to have a discrimination lawyer to defend against discrimination claims and protect the reputation of the business. These types of legal claims can damage the business’s reputation and their finances.
Whether a potential client is a worker or an employer, having a lawyer will greatly increase the likelihood of the success of their case.
Should I Hire a Discrimination Lawyer?
If you are a worker who is experiencing discrimination or an employer who is accused of discrimination, it is very important to hire a employment discrimination lawyer to represent you. These cases can be complex to resolve and can cause stress at an individual’s workplace.
You can use the free and convenient attorney matching services provided by LegalMatch to find a discrimination lawyer near you. It will only take you about 15 minutes to submit a confidential question or concern on the website.
After you submit your issue, you will get responses from pre-screened and licensed discrimination lawyers near you in around 24 hours who are ready to help. These responses will include information on each lawyer’s fees, background, and reviews from other clients.
