美
国的顶尖律师现在每小时收费高达1,250美元，明显高于往年。这些律师利用大客户愿意为某些类型的法律服务支付高额费用大赚一笔。大约五年前，在经济繁荣的高峰期，一些先行者将每小时的收费提高到1,000美元以上。但在经济衰退的冲击下，多数行业精英直到不久前还在犹豫不决，纠结于是否将每小时收费提高到990美元以上。
尽管很多公司已经削减了法律服务方面的预算，并强烈要求签约律所给予计时收费的折扣以及设定封顶费用，但其中许多公司也表明在某些类型的法律服务上他们不会吝啬费用。尤其是在高风险的情况下，或是公司认为明星律师解决其问题比不那么知名的律师速度更快、效率更高。
米勒（Harvey Miller）是总部位于纽约的威嘉律师事务所（Weil, Gotshal & Manges）专司破产业务的合伙人。米勒说他们律所对高级合伙人的小时收费曾经有过人为限制，因为1小时1,000美元真的是一笔很大的费用。但在仔细研究相关文件后他们发现其他律师每小时收取的费用比这个界线高了大约50美元，因此也就取消了收费限制。
现在，米勒和威嘉的其他一些律师每小时收费最高为1,045美元。米勒说，基本的原则是，如果你能要到这个价格，就报这个价。
化工厂商杜邦公司（DuPont Co）的助理法律总顾问萨格尔（Thomas L. Sager）说，不是很多律师可以做到每小时收费高达四位数，我就不太能接受这个价格。萨格尔接着说，杜邦只向极少数律师支付每小时1,000美元以上的费用，主要是向他们咨询并购方面的意见。
通用电气公司副总法律顾问Janine Dascenzo说，如果她的公司需要用到某位律师的独特才能，那么他们会支付相应的价格。她补充说，我们总是向律师支付很多钱，因为物有所值。
在整个律师行业，专擅并购、破产法以及税法等金融相关业务的律师收费通常比其它领域的同行要高。
根据法庭备案文件显示，去年收费最高的一位律师是凯易国际律师事务所（Kirkland & Ellis LLP）纽约分所的律师拉德克（Kirk A. Radke）。拉德克在杠杆收购和成立私募股权基金等领域给客户提供法律建议。截至2010年初，拉德克每小时收费高达1,250美元，其客户包括私募股权投资公司Avista Capital Partners。
拉德克和凯易国际律师事务所拒绝置评。Avista Capital拒绝置评。
Vanessa O'Connell
（本文版权归道琼斯公司所有，未经许可不得翻译或转载。）
Leading attorneys in the U.S. are asking as much as $1,250 an hour, significantly more than in previous years, taking advantage of big clients' willingness to pay top dollar for certain types of services.
A few pioneers had raised their fees to more than $1,000 an hour about five years ago, at the peak of the economic boom. But after the recession hit, many of the rest of the industry's elite were hesitant, until recently, to charge more than $990 an hour.
While companies have cut legal budgets and continue to push for hourly discounts and capped-fee deals with their law firms, many of them have shown they won't skimp on some kinds of legal advice, especially in high-stakes situations or when they think a star attorney might resolve their problem faster and more efficiently than a lesser-known talent.
Harvey Miller, a bankruptcy partner at New York-based Weil, Gotshal & Manges, said his firm had an 'artificial constraint' limiting top partners' hourly fee because '$1,000 an hour is a lot of money.' It got rid of the cap after studying filings that showed other lawyers surpassing that barrier by about $50.
Today Mr. Miller and some other lawyers at Weil Gotshal ask as much as $1,045 an hour. 'The underlying principle is if you can get it, get it,' he said.
'Not many attorneys can command four figures hourly, and I do have trouble swallowing that,' said Thomas L. Sager, assistant general counsel at chemical maker DuPont Co. Still, he added, DuPont pays more than $1,000 an hour to a 'select few,' particularly for mergers-and-acquisitions advice.
Janine Dascenzo, associate general counsel of General Electric Co., said that her company is willing to pay what it must when it needs a lawyer with 'unique' expertise. 'We'll keep paying them a lot of money, because they're worth that,' she added.
Industrywide, attorneys in finance-related practices such as M&A, bankruptcy law and taxes, tend to command a premium to their peers in other specialties.
One of the priciest attorneys over the past year, according to court filings, has been Kirk A. Radke, whose specialty at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York is advising clients on leveraged buyouts and forming private-equity funds. As of early 2010, Mr. Radke, whose clients include private-equity firm Avista Capital Partners, had an hourly fee of $1,250.
Mr. Radke and Kirkland & Ellis declined to comment, as did Avista Capital.
Vanessa O'Connell
A few pioneers had raised their fees to more than $1,000 an hour about five years ago, at the peak of the economic boom. But after the recession hit, many of the rest of the industry's elite were hesitant, until recently, to charge more than $990 an hour.
While companies have cut legal budgets and continue to push for hourly discounts and capped-fee deals with their law firms, many of them have shown they won't skimp on some kinds of legal advice, especially in high-stakes situations or when they think a star attorney might resolve their problem faster and more efficiently than a lesser-known talent.
Harvey Miller, a bankruptcy partner at New York-based Weil, Gotshal & Manges, said his firm had an 'artificial constraint' limiting top partners' hourly fee because '$1,000 an hour is a lot of money.' It got rid of the cap after studying filings that showed other lawyers surpassing that barrier by about $50.
Today Mr. Miller and some other lawyers at Weil Gotshal ask as much as $1,045 an hour. 'The underlying principle is if you can get it, get it,' he said.
'Not many attorneys can command four figures hourly, and I do have trouble swallowing that,' said Thomas L. Sager, assistant general counsel at chemical maker DuPont Co. Still, he added, DuPont pays more than $1,000 an hour to a 'select few,' particularly for mergers-and-acquisitions advice.
Janine Dascenzo, associate general counsel of General Electric Co., said that her company is willing to pay what it must when it needs a lawyer with 'unique' expertise. 'We'll keep paying them a lot of money, because they're worth that,' she added.
Industrywide, attorneys in finance-related practices such as M&A, bankruptcy law and taxes, tend to command a premium to their peers in other specialties.
One of the priciest attorneys over the past year, according to court filings, has been Kirk A. Radke, whose specialty at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York is advising clients on leveraged buyouts and forming private-equity funds. As of early 2010, Mr. Radke, whose clients include private-equity firm Avista Capital Partners, had an hourly fee of $1,250.
Mr. Radke and Kirkland & Ellis declined to comment, as did Avista Capital.
Vanessa O'Connell
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