How Much Does a Lawyer Cost in Colorado? A Transparent Look at Attorney Pricing

How Law Firm Pricing Really Works

In the 2025 legislative session, the General Assembly passed (and the Governor signed) HB 25-1090 Protections Against Deceptive Pricing Practices, which is set to take effect January 1, 2026. The goal of this legislation is to dispense with deceptive pricing practices in Colorado. At Gant Law, we fully support pricing transparency and wanted to take this opportunity to provide some insight into attorney pricing for those seeking legal services.

When hiring an attorney, one of the first and most common questions is: How does pricing work? For clients unfamiliar with legal services, the answer can feel opaque or even intimidating. At Gant Law, we believe transparency and clarity are essential. So, here’s a straightforward explanation of how hourly billing works—and what it actually means when you receive an invoice from a law firm.

What You're Really Paying For

Unlike purchasing a product with a price tag, legal services are not about materials or parts. What you’re paying for is a professional’s time, expertise, and judgment. An attorney’s service is their knowledge and experience—the ability to interpret the law, assess your case, and apply strategy to your unique situation.

The most common way to value that knowledge is by tracking the time spent delivering it. That’s why most Northern Colorado law firms, especially in complex areas like family law and probate, use hourly-rate pricing.

Why Not a Flat Fee?

You may have heard of attorneys offering flat fees, and in some practice areas—like simple estate plans or uncontested matters—that works well. But for areas like litigation, guardianships, contested divorce, or estate administration, there are simply too many variables. Every case is different. Every opposing party behaves differently. Every court has its own nuances and timelines.

In these types of cases, guessing at a flat fee could either overcharge the client or leave the attorney unable to cover the time truly required. Hourly billing allows for flexibility and fairness based on the actual complexity and duration of your case.

The Role of a Retainer

Clients are often confused about the term "retainer.” It’s important to understand that a retainer is not the total price of your case. Instead, it’s a form of prepayment—think of it like a down payment or security deposit.

These funds are deposited into a special trust account and remain your property until the attorney earns them by working on your matter. Some firms use the funds right away to pay your first few invoice (or invoices). Others hold onto the retainer for the life of your case and return it at the end if unused. Either way, anything not earned goes back to you.

In Colorado, trust accounts are regulated and monitored. Interest earned from these accounts (if any) is sent to the Colorado Lawyer Trust Account Foundation, which supports civil legal aid services for those who cannot afford it.

How Time Is Tracked (And Why It Matters)

Attorneys typically bill in time increments. In Colorado, courts have said that billing in up to 12-minute increments (or tenths of an hour) is legally permissible. But here’s the problem: if a task takes just one or two minutes, you could still be billed for the full 12.

At Gant Law, we don’t think that’s fair. We bill in 3-minute increments (or twelfths of an hour), which more closely aligns with the actual time tasks require. That means our clients are paying for what’s truly necessary—no more, no less.

Hourly Rates: What Do They Reflect?

Hourly rates in Northern Colorado for family law and probate matters often range from $225 to $450, depending on the attorney’s experience, knowledge, skill, and the complexity of the case. But here’s an important truth: a higher hourly rate doesn’t always mean a higher overall cost.

Why? Because experience brings efficiency. A seasoned attorney may complete a complex task in half the time it takes someone with less experience. That’s why the total cost of a matter is often more about efficiency and decision-making than just raw hourly numbers.

At Gant Law, we strive to assign the right task to the right professional. If a paralegal can do the job just as well, they will—and you’ll be charged the paralegal rate. If an attorney does a paralegal task for convenience, we’ll still bill you at the paralegal rate. If we do work that doesn’t meet our internal quality or timing standards, we may even reduce the rate or charge nothing at all. When two attorneys collaborate, and the full benefit of both isn't necessary, you'll also see that time billed at half rate.

What You're Billed For—and Why

If a task was required for your case, it is generally billable. That includes:

• Reviewing records;

• Drafting pleadings;

• Analyzing facts and law;

• Strategizing or preparing for hearings;

• Communicating with you, the opposing party/attorney, witnesses, the court, etc.

It may surprise some clients to see time billed for reading emails or making quick phone calls. But that’s because even those actions require legal attention. Our job is to think critically about everything that enters your case—and that includes correspondence. Knowing the full facts on your case is the only way analysis can be comprehensive.

“We believe legal fees should never feel like a surprise.”

— Gant Law

How to Keep Legal Costs Down

This is a question we’re always happy to answer. The number one tip: respond to your attorney’s requests accurately and on time.

It may sound simple, but it’s key. Nothing wastes more client money than delays caused by incomplete information. If your attorney asks for records, inventories, forms, or documentation, turn them in quickly, fully, and in the format requested.

Also, consolidate your questions when you can. Every email or call you send requires a response—and each response is time. We’re ethically required to respond, and we want to be helpful. But if you send 10 separate messages instead of one well-thought-out email, your bill will reflect that.

Transparency and Communication

Attorneys in Colorado are required to provide detailed billing records. At Gant Law, we send regular invoices (usually monthly) that show exactly how your matter is progressing. Every three-minute increment is accounted for. We aim to include enough detail so you know what was done, without exposing sensitive information in case the court ever needs to review the invoices.

We believe legal fees should never feel like a surprise. That’s why we’re transparent about both our pricing and your case’s direction. We’ll advise you about what’s coming up, the options you have, and what we can do to help manage expenses without compromising quality.

Final Thoughts

We know legal representation can feel expensive. Good legal work can also prevent costly mistakes, resolve conflict more efficiently, and bring peace of mind in difficult times. At Gant Law, we take seriously the responsibility of providing service that is both excellent and fair.

If you still have questions about how hourly billing works, or how we approach fees in your specific type of case, we’d be happy to talk with you. We don’t want you walking into a legal matter feeling unsure or confused—we want you feeling confident, informed, and empowered.

People v. C.J.

Client was charged with a class-four felony, crime of violence, and facing up to 16 years in prison. Through thorough investigation, firm advocacy, and multiple negotiations with the District Attorney, we were able to obtain a deferred judgment and sentence to a class-three misdemeanor with just six months of probation and no added conditions for our Client.

Should Colorado Change its Felony Murder Law?

In Colorado (and many other states), a person can be charged with murder if they are committing a certain felony and someone in their group commits murder in the process. If you go out, for instance, with a group of friends to rob a bank, and anyone of your friends kills someone at the bank, you could then be charged with murder and subject to life in prison without parole.

The statute that lays out the current rule is C.R.S. 18-3-102(1)(b) (current through 2019 legislative session). Senator Daniel Kagan (D, Colorado) has submitted a bill that would change the sentencing possibilities for this rule, essentially taking the crime from a class-one felony (potential penalty of life in prison without parole) to a class-two felony (with potential crime-of-violence sentencing). 

As with all major criminal justice issues, there are pros and cons to this rule from society’s perspective. Take, for example, a situation where a gang leader jumps and indoctrinates a vulnerable, 17-year-old kid who now becomes the youngest member of the gang. Now that leader demands that the 17-year-old carry a gun to a bank robbery and pull the trigger on anyone who stands in the gang’s way. If such a shooting actually occurs, who is society more worried about: the 17-year-old who pulled the trigger or the leader who manipulated the kid and demanded the shooting? Should the 17-year-old get charged with first-degree murder while the leader is only charged with the robbery?

Now let’s change the scenario up a bit: Let’s say that a group of criminals befriends a vulnerable, 17-year-old kid and invites him to “steal some money from a bank” with them. The kid goes along with this out of peer-pressure but has absolutely no idea that anyone in the group has a gun. Unfortunately, one of the group members does have a gun and kills someone in the process of the robbery. Should the 17-year-old, who just barely met this group, and who didn’t realize they had a gun, be held fully responsible for the other person’s shooting as though he had pulled the trigger? Hopefully, this is where the district attorney’s office would come into play and plead the case down. But what if the DA doesn’t believe the 17-year-old or the 17-year-old isn’t able to explain his position clearly?

What do you think about the bill? Should it pass or not?

Do I Really Need Snow Tires In Colorado?

As of May 2019, the traction laws in Colorado were changed. The new law applies differently during different types of snowstorms and on different roads in Colorado, but the safest bet is to make sure you have either AWD or snow tires (or both) anytime you’re driving in snowy conditions. Drivers who cause accidents or who block traffic and don’t have one or both of these (or one of the alternatives permitted by the new law) risk fines of $132 to $656 in addition to previous repercussions in both criminal and civil courts.

CDOT has a great summary of the different types of storms and areas this can affect: https://www.codot.gov/travel/winter-driving/tractionlaw. 

For a full look at the final bill that was signed, you can click here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2019a_1207_signed.pdf.

Steps of a Criminal Case

If you’ve never been on the wrong side of the law before (or even if you have), you may be interested to learn about the process. Here is a quick overview:

Police Report: First things first – law enforcement learns about a potential violation of law. Someone might call 911, call the non-emergency line, or come into the police department to report a “cold” incident (something that happened in the past and is over now), a police officer might witness something first hand (e.g. speeding), etc. No matter the method of finding out, once law enforcement knows about a potential crime, they have to decide whether or not there is “probable cause.” That is, they have to decide if it is more likely than not that someone broke the law. They’ll often engage in some investigation first: asking questions, making phone calls, looking for physical evidence, etc. If their investigation doesn’t turn up enough solid evidence of a crime—even if they personally think there has been some misconduct—they won’t file any charges; nothing else happens. If, however, they do find enough evidence of a crime, then they file criminal charges. The suspect will either receive paperwork telling them they have been charged with a crime and that they have to come to court at a certain date and time, or the suspect will be arrested.

Bond: If the suspect is arrested, then a bond hearing will follow within a day or so where they stand in court and the judge tells them an amount of money they’ll need to pay in order to be released from jail. The suspect can try to pay the bond amount (or a portion of it to a bondsman) and get released from jail while the criminal case is pending. If the suspect cannot afford the bond (or to pay a bondsman), then they’ll remain in jail while the criminal case is pending.

Advisement: At the first court date (the bond hearing, if arrested; the date on the paperwork, if not arrested), the judge will tell the suspect what they have been charged with, what their rights are, and ask them whether they have or would like to have an attorney. Then the judge will set another court date to give the suspect time to get an attorney (if desired and not already hired) and to start negotiating for a plea bargain.

Plea Bargaining: Once the charges are filed, the local District Attorney’s office gets them. They then assign the case to one of their DA’s (also called prosecutors). The suspect, either by themselves or through an attorney, will then try to negotiate a plea bargain with the DA.  This negotiation can happen via phone or email, but there will also be specific court dates set up for the suspect or attorney to meet with the DA and try to resolve face to face. Any official change in the case (bond reduction, acceptance or rejection of a plea, etc.) has to happen at one of these court dates. At each court date, if there is no resolution, another court date will be scheduled. There can be several of these court dates, and sometimes they are several weeks apart, making the plea bargaining process potentially quite lengthy.

Plea or No Plea: At some point in the plea bargaining process, the suspect will either accept a plea bargain or realize that they and the DA will not be able to reach an agreement. If the suspect accepts a plea bargain, then they’ll plead guilty and be sentenced according to the plea bargain. They must then fulfill all the requirements of their sentence (these can include jail time, classes, community services, drug treatment, etc.).

 If the suspect can’t reach an agreement with the DA, then they’ll plead not guilty and set the case for a trial. Once they plead not guilty, the speedy trial right begins, and the trial must be heard within the following six months (with a few exceptions). Often, if the suspect pleads not guilty, the DA will revoke all their previous plea bargain offers.

Trial: The suspect will only go to trial if they cannot reach an agreeable plea bargain with the DA. For a trial, the suspect has several rights and will be able to, among other things, help choose the jury, subpoena and call witnesses, cross examine the DA’s witnesses, decide for themselves whether to testify or not (and the jury will be instructed that they cannot use it against the suspect if they decide not to testify), and present a theory of defense. The jury will then hear all the evidence and decide whether or not the suspect is guilty of any of the charges. 

If the jury finds the suspect guilty, then the suspect will be sentenced according to the sentencing laws for the charge they are guilty of. The suspect may also be able to appeal the guilty verdict to a higher court. 

If the jury finds the suspect not guilty, then the case ends, the bond (if the suspect paid one) is released, and the suspect can get their record sealed.

If you’re facing a criminal charge, we highly recommend you speak with an attorney before speaking with the DA’s office. Gant Law can help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

The information obtained through these articles is not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is formed by the posting of or reading of the same. In addition, note that the law is constantly in flux, and some information may be outdated.

People v. W.L.

Client was charged with Violation of a Protection Order. The charge was based on a technicality that was a grey area in the law. By reviewing the law, negotiating with the DA, and advising our client to participate in pre-sentence treatment, we were able to convince the DA that the right thing to do was dismiss the case. The DA eventually agreed, and the case was dismissed.

People v. K. T.

Client was charged with DUI and Careless Driving. Client’s BAC was .246. Through client interviewing and investigation, we were able to highlight for the DA holes in the case and our client’s good behavior, resulting in a plea to DWAI and Weaving. The client was able to retain a driver’s license.

People v. O. O.

Client was charged with Third Degree Assault as an Act of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse-Knowing/Reckless-No Injury. Through negotiations with the DA, we were able to get a plea to Telephone Harassment as an Act of Domestic Violence, and the client was allowed to do probation from another state.

People v. H. I.

Client was charged with Third Degree Assault and Obstruction of Telephone Service both as Acts of Domestic Violence. Through review and investigation, we were able to show the DA that this was a case of self-defense. We got the charges completely dismissed.

People v. T. M.

Client had multiple charges and was facing a license revocation and up to two years in jail with no offer from the DA..Through client interviews and negotiations with the DA, we were able to get the client a probation offer and all driving charges pled to zero-point, non-moving violations, so that the client retained a driver’s license.

People v. J. P.

Client was charged with Criminal Tampering and Harassment, both as Acts of Domestic Violence. Through review and investigation, we were able to show the DA the holes in the case and in the victim’s credibility. We got the charges completely dismissed.

People v. D. M.

Client was charged with Violation of a Protection Order. Through investigation, we found holes in the case and were able to get the charges completely dismissed.

People v. S. H.

Client was charged with felony Identity Theft. Through investigation, we learned the incident was inadvertent. We were able to get the client an offer to Adult Diversion, and the charge was dismissed.

People v. K. C

Client was charged with Unlawful Use of Weapons or “Drunk with Gun.” Through client interviews, investigation, and negotiation with the DA, we were able to get a plea to a Deferred Judgment and Sentence with unsupervised probation.

People v. A.L

Client was charged with DUI and DUI Per Se. Client’s BAC was .172. Through negotiation with the DA we were able to highlight our client’s good behavior and retention of a driver’s license, ultimately resulting in a plea offer to DWAI

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