Contingency Fee vs. Hourly Fee Cost Comparator
ANA›Life Services Authority›National Calculator Authority›Contingency Fee vs. Hourly Fee Cost Comparator
.calc-container { max-width: 640px; margin: 2rem 0; padding: 1.5rem; background: #fff; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.06); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, sans-serif; } .calc-container h3 { font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.15rem; color: #1a1a1a; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding-bottom: 0.5rem; border-bottom: 2px solid var(--ac, #3d5a80); } .calc-row { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.75rem; margin-bottom: 0.75rem; flex-wrap: wrap; } .calc-row label { min-width: 160px; font-size: 0.9rem; color: #333; font-weight: 500; } .calc-row input[type="number"], .calc-row select { flex: 1; min-width: 120px; max-width: 200px; padding: 0.5rem 0.6rem; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 0.9rem; font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; color: #1a1a1a; background: #fafaf8; } .calc-row input:focus, .calc-row select:focus { outline: none; border-color: var(--ac, #3d5a80); box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(26,74,138,0.12); } .calc-row .unit { font-size: 0.82rem; color: #888; min-width: 30px; } .calc-btn { display: inline-block; margin-top: 0.5rem; padding: 0.55rem 1.5rem; background: var(--ac, #3d5a80); color: #fff; border: none; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 0.9rem; font-weight: 600; cursor: pointer; font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; } .calc-btn:hover { opacity: 0.9; } .calc-result { margin-top: 1.25rem; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; background: #f0f6fc; border-left: 3px solid var(--ac, #3d5a80); border-radius: 0 6px 6px 0; display: none; } .calc-result.visible { display: block; } .calc-result-label { font-size: 0.78rem; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #666; margin-bottom: 0.25rem; } .calc-result-value { font-size: 1.6rem; font-weight: 700; color: var(--ac, #3d5a80); } .calc-result-detail { font-size: 0.85rem; color: #555; margin-top: 0.5rem; line-height: 1.5; } .calc-note { margin-top: 1rem; font-size: 0.8rem; color: #888; font-style: italic; } .calc-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 0.75rem; margin-top: 0.75rem; } .calc-grid-item { padding: 0.6rem 0.8rem; background: #f8f9fa; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid #eee; } .calc-grid-item .label { font-size: 0.75rem; color: #888; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.04em; } .calc-grid-item .value { font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600; color: #1a1a1a; } @media (max-width: 720px) { .calc-row { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 0.3rem; } .calc-row label { min-width: auto; } .calc-row input[type="number"], .calc-row select { max-width: 100%; width: 100%; } .calc-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } } .calc-chart { margin: 1rem 0; text-align: center; } .calc-chart svg { max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .calc-chart-legend { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: center; gap: 0.6rem 1.2rem; margin-top: 0.6rem; font-size: 0.8rem; color: #555; } .calc-chart-legend span { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.3rem; } .calc-chart-legend i { display: inline-block; width: 10px; height: 10px; border-radius: 2px; font-style: normal; } .calc-related { max-width: 640px; margin: 2rem 0 1rem; padding: 1.25rem 1.5rem; background: #f8f9fa; border: 1px solid #e8e8e8; border-radius: 8px; } .calc-related h3 { font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1rem; color: #1a1a1a; margin: 0 0 0.75rem; padding-bottom: 0.4rem; border-bottom: 2px solid var(--ac, #3d5a80); } .calc-related-list { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0 0 0.75rem; display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 0.4rem 1.5rem; } .calc-related-list li a { font-size: 0.88rem; color: var(--ac, #3d5a80); text-decoration: none; } .calc-related-list li a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } .calc-browse-all { margin: 0.5rem 0 0; font-size: 0.9rem; font-weight: 600; } .calc-browse-all a { color: var(--ac, #3d5a80); text-decoration: none; } .calc-browse-all a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } @media (max-width: 720px) { .calc-related-list { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } }
Contingency Fee vs. Hourly Fee Cost Comparator
Compare the total out-of-pocket cost of a contingency fee arrangement versus an hourly billing arrangement to determine which is more financially advantageous for your legal matter.
Expected Settlement or Award ($)
Contingency Fee Percentage (%)
Case Expenses / Costs ($) (court fees, experts, etc.)
Are expenses deducted before or after the contingency fee?
After contingency fee (from client's share) Before contingency fee (from gross award)
Attorney Hourly Rate ($/hr)
Estimated Hours to Resolve Case
Retainer / Upfront Fee ($)
Case Expenses Under Hourly Arrangement ($)
Calculate
function conCalc() { var resultDiv = document.getElementById('con-result'); resultDiv.style.display = 'none';
// --- Inputs --- var settlement = parseFloat(document.getElementById('con-settlement').value); var contingencyPct = parseFloat(document.getElementById('con-contingency-pct').value); var caseExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById('con-case-expenses').value) || 0; var expensesFrom = document.getElementById('con-expenses-from').value; var hourlyRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('con-hourly-rate').value); var hours = parseFloat(document.getElementById('con-hours').value); var retainer = parseFloat(document.getElementById('con-retainer').value) || 0; var hourlyExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById('con-hourly-expenses').value) || 0;
// --- Validation --- var errors = []; if (isNaN(settlement) || settlement 60) errors.push("Contingency fee percentage must be between 0 and 60."); if (isNaN(hourlyRate) || hourlyRate 0) { resultDiv.style.display = 'block'; resultDiv.innerHTML = 'Please fix the following:' + errors.map(function(e){ return ''; }).join('') + ''; return; }
// --- Contingency Fee Calculation --- // Two common structures: // (A) Expenses deducted AFTER contingency fee: // Attorney Fee = Settlement × (contingencyPct / 100) // Client Net = Settlement − Attorney Fee − Case Expenses // Total Cost to Client = Attorney Fee + Case Expenses // // (B) Expenses deducted BEFORE contingency fee: // Net Award = Settlement − Case Expenses // Attorney Fee = Net Award × (contingencyPct / 100) // Client Net = Net Award − Attorney Fee // Total Cost to Client = Attorney Fee + Case Expenses
var conAttorneyFee, conClientNet, conTotalCost; var conRate = contingencyPct / 100;
if (expensesFrom === 'after') { conAttorneyFee = settlement * conRate; conClientNet = settlement - conAttorneyFee - caseExpenses; conTotalCost = conAttorneyFee + caseExpenses; } else { var netAward = settlement - caseExpenses; conAttorneyFee = netAward * conRate; conClientNet = netAward - conAttorneyFee; conTotalCost = conAttorneyFee + caseExpenses; }
var conEffectivePct = (conTotalCost / settlement) * 100;
// --- Hourly Fee Calculation --- // Total Hourly Cost = (Hourly Rate × Hours) + Retainer + Case Expenses // Note: retainer is typically applied toward hourly fees; here we treat it as // an additional upfront cost if it exceeds billed hours (conservative approach). // For simplicity: Total Attorney Fees = max(Hourly Rate × Hours, Retainer) + any overage, // but most standard comparators use: Total = Rate × Hours + Retainer + Expenses // where retainer is a separate upfront deposit (common in practice). var hourlyAttorneyFee = hourlyRate * hours; var hourlyTotalCost = hourlyAttorneyFee + retainer + hourlyExpenses; var hourlyClientNet = settlement - hourlyTotalCost; var hourlyEffectivePct = (hourlyTotalCost / settlement) * 100;
// --- Comparison --- var savings = Math.abs(conTotalCost - hourlyTotalCost); var betterOption = conTotalCost ';
// Contingency column html += ''; html += '#### Contingency Fee '; html += ''; html += 'Attorney Fee' + fmt(conAttorneyFee) + ''; html += 'Case Expenses' + fmt(caseExpenses) + ''; html += 'Total Cost' + fmt(conTotalCost) + ''; html += 'Your Net Recovery= 0 ? '#15803d' : '#dc2626') + ';">' + fmt(conClientNet) + ''; html += 'Effective Cost Rate' + fmtPct(conEffectivePct) + ''; html += '';
// Hourly column html += ''; html += '#### Hourly Fee '; html += ''; html += 'Attorney Fee (' + hours + ' hrs × ' + fmt(hourlyRate) + ')' + fmt(hourlyAttorneyFee) + ''; html += 'Retainer' + fmt(retainer) + ''; html += 'Case Expenses' + fmt(hourlyExpenses) + ''; html += 'Total Cost' + fmt(hourlyTotalCost) + ''; html += 'Your Net Recovery= 0 ? '#15803d' : '#dc2626') + ';">' + fmt(hourlyClientNet) + ''; html += 'Effective Cost Rate' + fmtPct(hourlyEffectivePct) + ''; html += '';
html += '';
// Winner banner html += ''; html += '▶ ' + winnerMsg; if (betterOption !== 'Equal') { html += 'Net recovery difference: ' + fmt(Math.abs(netDiff)) + ' more with ' + betterOption + ''; } html += '';
// Breakeven note var breakevenHours = conTotalCost / hourlyRate; html += ''; html += 'ⓘ Contingency total cost equals hourly attorney fees at approximately ' + breakevenHours.toFixed(1) + ' hours of attorney work (excluding retainer & expenses).'; html += '
';
resultDiv.innerHTML = html; resultDiv.style.display = 'block'; }
#### Formulas Used
Contingency Fee — Expenses Deducted After Fee:
Contingency Fee — Expenses Deducted Before Fee:
Hourly Fee:
Effective Cost Rate = Total Cost ÷ Settlement × 100
Break-Even Hours = Contingency Total Cost ÷ Hourly Rate
#### Assumptions & References
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