Regional rate volatility gives legal ops more negotiation leverage
Wolters Kluwer’s LegalVIEW analysis, drawing on more than $200bn in invoice data, reports New York partner rates averaging $1,972 and associate rates averaging $1,214, while top-25 firm partner rate growth moderated from 10.
BY ECONOMICS DESK · MAY 28, 2026 · 1 MIN READ
Wolters Kluwer’s LegalVIEW analysis, drawing on more than $200bn in invoice data, reports New York partner rates averaging $1,972 and associate rates averaging $1,214, while top-25 firm partner rate growth moderated from 10.4% in 2024 to 6.3% in 2025. Procurement and pricing teams can use regional and tiered volatility to challenge standard-rate narratives and build more evidence-based panel discussions.