Announcements

2025 ALBERTA FAMILY LAWYER HOURLY RATE SURVEY

President
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BARR LLP
Edmonton, Alberta

In 2019 I conducted an hourly rate survey to help us determine our own rates, future progression, and to see which factors might significantly affect that rate.

I’m asking for your help to fill out the survey again, but this time there are more questions that I’m hoping to answer. Taking inspiration from the discussion board, the survey asks questions such as how lawyers charge for travel, and whether you charge for your assistant’s time. I’m also hoping to deliver additional insights such as whether the type of office your firm is located in affects self-selection of hourly rates. While this survey isn’t being conducted on behalf of any of my employers, because I teach at two universities, I’m also collecting demographic information to see how sociological factors may affect lawyers/firms' own perceptions of what rates they can charge, and so that the data can be compared to future results.

The survey is anonymous. I will only be publishing aggregate data and charts, but I may share anonymized data with non-profit entities such as universities and educators. Please let me know if you have any questions about data use, I’m happy to offer full transparency.

If you’ve read the above, please complete this survey here, and it would really help if you shared this with your colleagues! https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/PqmwBuUjHs

2 4 days ago

Ken Proudman

President
view Arbitrator profile
BARR LLP
Edmonton, Alberta

Should I continue to collect demographic information in future surveys? I'm worried that it may be taken the wrong way, especially if someone hasn't read my explanation. I think I'll also have to be very selective about how to publish any data, as I don't want potential clients to find the data and expect a certain demographic to offer lower cost services, thereby perpetuating that disadvantage. It's also a bit unreliable methodology, given that hourly rate is largely self-selected, although presumably in part result from what clients are willing to pay.

3 4 days ago

Anonymous 2023

Edmonton Region, Alberta

Hey Ken, I love this. Do you want family lawyers working in non-conventional settings (i.e. Legal Aid staff lawyers, etc.), or only those who bill an hourly rate? I don't want to mess up your data!

1 3 days ago

	Shannon L. Allison Allison Law Office Edmonton, Alberta I think this is a very good idea. Will you be releasing your findings here as well? I think this is a very good idea. Will you be releasing your findings here as well? Edit Reset 1 3 days ago

Ken Proudman

President
view Arbitrator profile
BARR LLP
Edmonton, Alberta

@Anonymous 2023: in the second last question it asks about special circumstances, if you can add it there that would be appreciated. Thanks for asking!

1 3 days ago

Ken Proudman

President
view Arbitrator profile
BARR LLP
Edmonton, Alberta

@Shannon L. Allison: yes I'll be preparing graphs and summaries of overall findings and posting them to the announcements here, being cautious about how I present sociological findings (if I present that portion at all).

3 3 days ago - edited 3 days ago

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