Law Department Management Blog
Blended rates can take a number of forms: a single blended rate for all lawyers of a firm ($295 per lawyer), multiple blended rates based on lawyer titles or years of experience ($330 for partners and $260 for associates), or even blended rates by practice area ($310 for litigators; $360 for anti-trust lawyers) (See my posts of Aug. 21, 2005 on differences in blended rates between firms; Sept. 5, 2005 on whether blended rate bills reduce costs; Jan. 10, 2006 on hybrid arrangements; and June 13, 2006 on the difference between effective rates and blended rates.).
Blended rates offer some ease and consistency in budgeting for both the law firm and the client when hours are relatively predictable. They also eliminate some client and firm overhead related to tracking and maintaining separate rate databases. Blended rates encourage law firms to delegate work to lower-cost lawyers or paralegals