Legal billing rate growth becomes more fragmented, Wolters Kluwer finds

• Wolters Kluwer's LegalVIEW Insights report, analyzing over $230 billion in legal spending, finds staffing and billing compliance shape costs beyond rates.
• Am Law 26-50 firms' partner rates rose 9.1% in 2026 from a year earlier; associate rates increased 8.8%.
• Intellectual property partner rates climbed 13.9% year to date, versus a 5% historical average, highlighting uneven pricing pressure.
• Staffing also varied: associates performed 54.8% of hours at Am Law 1-25 firms, versus 33.7% at Am Law 151-200 firms.
• Am Law 51-100 firms recorded the highest billing noncompliance rate at 35.4%, underscoring potential savings beyond negotiated rates.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Wolters Kluwer NV published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 202610291001BIZWIRE_USPR_____20261029_BW716861) on October 29, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.