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For many years, the United States Attorney's Office used the Laffey Matrix ("USAO Laffey Matrix") as a basis for hourly rates for attorneys' fees in litigation claims. This matrix used the original Laffey Matrix from 1982 and adjusted it annually using changes in the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers for the Washington-Baltimore area.
In the legal realm, the "lodestar method" refers to a method of computing attorney's fees whereby a trial court must multiply the number of hours reasonably spent by trial counsel by a reasonable hourly rate.
These have been available since 1982 and are updated annually. Hourly rates are shown by years of experience. For June 1, 2006, to May 31, 2007, the rates are as follows: 20+ years of experience, $425 per hour; 11–19 years, $375; 8–10 years, $305; 4–7 years, $245; 1–3 years, $205; and paralegals and law clerks, $120. [19]
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In the United States the "American rule" is generally followed, each party bearing its own expense of litigation. However, 35 U.S.C. § 285 provides that in patent cases, the losing party may have to pay attorney fees of the winning party if the case is deemed "exceptional."
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For example, in the UK a client may enter into a fee agreement pursuant to which the client is liable for an hourly fee, plus a contingent success fee of no more than 100% of the hourly fee. Most lawyers who utilize this type of fee agreement charge a success fee in the range of 25-50%.