Our Firm’s Hourly Fee Rates
How We Are Paid
Contingency Fee Agreements
We represent most whistleblowers on a “contingency” basis, meaning the process is straightforward and simple. In these cases, whistleblowers are not charged an hourly fee. Instead, we agree to represent them in exchange for a percentage of any final recovery. Clients pay no upfront attorney’s fees and owe nothing if we are unable to secure a recovery or award on their behalf.
This model allows us to represent whistleblowers regardless of their ability to pay legal fees, and it aligns our incentives with theirs—we succeed only if they do.
In select cases, we may offer representation on an hourly fee basis, depending on the client’s circumstances and needs. The fee structure is set out below.
Contingency arrangements ensure that whistleblowers have access to experienced legal representation without the burden of incurring hourly billing costs. For more information on selecting a whistleblower attorney, visit How to Choose the Best Whistleblower Lawyer?
KKC’s Standard Billing Rate
Some whistleblower and civil rights laws have what is known as a “fee-shifting” provision that requires corporations or government agencies that retaliate against whistleblowers to pay the whistleblower’s attorney’s fees at “market rates.” The Freedom of Information Act and the False Claims Act also contain similar provisions. As a private law firm that practices law in the public interest, we are sometimes entitled to collect attorney fees under these “fee-shifting” laws from corporations and government agencies when we win cases on behalf of whistleblowers. However, the vast majority of our cases are pursued under a “contingency fee” arrangement.
When the firm bills a corporation or government agency for fees under these statutory attorney fee laws, the starting point for setting our firm’s market rate is the “Laffey Matrix.” The “Laffey Matrix” is a formula used by the courts to determine a fair attorney fee rate for lawyers representing public interest clients. This Matrix sets a standard market fee but does not fully consider the expertise of the firm’s partners. It is based on an Attorney’s years of practice and is adjusted annually for inflation. The rate is adjusted to fully compensate the firm’s attorneys based on their expertise and years of experience beyond the 20-year floor set by the Matrix. See Purdue v. Kenny, 130 S.Ct. 1662 (2010).
For all attorney fee billings, including those in fee-shifting cases, our firm uses the adjusted or updated Laffey Matrix as the basis for setting our standard billing rates each year. To view the firm’s current billing rates, please see the chart below:
| Year | Paralegal/Law Clerk | 1-3 | 4-7 | 8-10 | 11-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/01/24 – 5/31/25 | $258 | $473 | $581 | $839 | $948 | $1,141 | $1,297 | $1,499 |
Pro Bono
Since its founding in 1988, the whistleblower law firm of Kohn, Kohn, and Colapinto has dedicated thousands of hours providing free or “pro bono” legal services on behalf of whistleblowers and whistleblower advocacy organizations.
Our pro bono docket is dedicated to marshaling our years of experience to advance the rights of whistleblowers. We regularly file amicus curiae briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court and engage in legislative advocacy without charge to any clients or organizations. We have pursued numerous pro bono cases to establish legal precedents that benefit all whistleblowers.
