Senior Indian law firm partners’ billing rates have increased by around 17% over two years to an average of $335 an hour (Rs 21,580 at current exchange rates) from $292 in 2015 (Rs 18,500 at exchange rates at that time), according to consultancy RSG India’s latest research and its figures from 2015.
Junior partner rates meanwhile have risen by 28% to $237 (Rs 15,267) from $188 in 2015 (Rs 11,911 then).
Associate rates have nudged up by 30% to an average of $158 (Rs 10,178) from $123 in 2015 (Rs 7,793 then).
However, those increases are not the whole story. RSG’s founder Reena Sengupta explained that the figures were an average compiled by figures supplied by law firms and clients.
And while the averages had risen slightly over 2015, the ranges had changed and “in reality, the firms can no longer really ask for the top of the range anymore. 90% of all the managing partners we interviewed said there had been downward pressure on fees”, she said.
RSG added in an excerpt of its report: “Indian law firms reported a drop in fee rates across the market. This has been explained by the turmoil in the market following the split of one of India’s largest law firms into two separate businesses.
“Law firms with large litigation practices fared better than those who are more heavily reliant on transactional work.”
At the six biggest firms, two years ago, the average billing rates for senior partners were $328, for junior partners $229, and $152 for associates at those firms.
Read our 2015 analysis in Mint on billing rates.
| Average hourly fee rates (USD) for Indian Law Firms | |
|---|---|
| Senior partner | $335 ($292 in 2015) |
| Junior partner | $237 ($188 in 2015) |
| Associate | $158 ($123 in 2015) |
Source: RSG India
Comments
Partner's work = Associate's work= Intern's work = Google research
So a hefty bill for an opinion with articles copied from Google.
Either the partner works (to sign the memo / invoice) or the intern works (to type).
Rest all are pass through entities in the system meant to fill the "time sheets" to be shared with the client.
That's what legal research and associates' role has come to mean in Indian law firm culture.
most corporate approach law firms for opinion (which their own in-house counsel can very well prepare) only because of the weight the letterhead carries. this why the management can save its skin showing that their decisions were backed by legal opinion.
And when it comes to litigation many firms charge 2/3rd of Senior Counsel fees. I doubt too many firms charge hourly rate for the number of hours spent in Court as you invariably spend most of your time waiting for your matter to be called out!
Maybe premium Indian Clients give a 10K rate for associates
Wont be more than 6-7K for most firms.
People who scoff at this, CAM/SAM are quoting 15L as fixed fee mandates.
So high hourly for associates is a thing of the past
it isnt lis fault or rsg
no client in india pays hourly
overseas yes thet too is disappearing
what you smoking bro
Tell me one Indian law firm which charges $1000 per attorney hour, gotta apply there mate
http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/getting-a-rs1-crore-plus-paycheck-is-a-distant-dream-for-most-iit-grads/story-9kjAbLFGyO5UuYBeNLVTLN.html
Stop trusting the media, even so-called alternate media like Legally India.
...god bless them n one has to be blessed too to first find that luck... Even aftr a couple of years.. Or decades?
--
We cannot compete with INR 4,500/hr that some firms end up offering to clients. Large firms leverage their cash to grab more work and we are left in the dust, being unable to make ends meet even with a full time sheet.
We should have an environment where lawyers are respected for their time and are paid according to how they value themselves. There are no success based fees in India, and even if one were to tread on the wrong side of the law, there isn't much in terms of success based fee in corporate transactions.
Litigators will always be their own brand in their own right. CAS/SAM/AZB/L&L, please charge your full rates!