Lawyers in Texas

The State Bar of Texas surveys its own members on what they charge. Its 2025 Income and Hourly Rate Report puts the median hourly rate for full-time private practitioners at $368 for 2025. The report gives no breakdown by practice area, and the State Bar notes the figures aren't meant to set fees.

The statewide median is $43 higher than the 2023 figure, though the State Bar estimated its 2021 and 2023 values rather than surveying them. The spread between metros is wide: Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston sit above the statewide median, while San Antonio, El Paso and Corpus Christi sit below it.

Hourly billing is one of several arrangements. The State Bar's Find a Lawyer directory lets you filter by fee options: contingency fees, flat fees, hourly rate, payment plan and sliding scale fees. Ask for the rate, the billing increment and a written estimate, and ask whether the first meeting is charged. Fees are a matter for you and the lawyer to agree, so get them in writing before you sign.

If a personal injury lawyer offers a contingent fee, paid from any recovery, Texas law governs the paperwork and sets no percentage. The Government Code says a contingent fee contract must be in writing and signed by both the attorney and the client.

What a Texas contingent fee agreement must say

Rule 1.04(d) of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct requires the agreement to state:

• the method used to work out the fee;
• a separate percentage for settlement, trial or appeal, if the percentage changes between them;
• which litigation and other expenses come out of the recovery;
• whether those expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated.

When the case ends, the lawyer must give you a written statement of the outcome and how the money was paid out. No rule sets a typical contingency percentage, so compare the written offers.

Reading personal injury lawyer ads in Texas

Under Rule 7.02(c), an ad offering contingent fees must say whether the client will still owe other expenses, such as litigation costs. If an ad says "no fee unless we win," look for that expense line and ask about it at the first meeting. Treat any promise of an outcome as a reason to keep looking.

Under the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, a Texas personal injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years after the day the claim accrues. A wrongful death suit has the same two years, counted from the date of death. If the injured person was under 18 when the claim arose, the years spent as a minor generally aren't counted. Health care liability claims have their own rule for minors, covered below.

How fault affects a Texas injury claim

Texas uses proportionate responsibility. A claimant found more than 50 percent responsible can't recover damages. Below that line, the court cuts the damages by the claimant's own percentage of responsibility. A defendant usually pays only its own share, but becomes jointly and severally liable if found more than 50 percent responsible.

Texas medical malpractice deadlines and the $250,000 cap

Health care liability claims run on their own rules in Chapter 74. You must send written notice at least 60 days before filing suit, the claim generally must be filed within two years, and there's an absolute 10-year limit. A child under 12 has until their 14th birthday to file. In a health care liability claim, noneconomic damages against physicians and other health care providers are capped at $250,000 per claimant under Chapter 74, with separate caps for health care institutions. Other injury cases, such as car wrecks, fall outside this cap.

Injury claims against a Texas city or the state

Under the Texas Tort Claims Act, a governmental unit is entitled to notice of a claim within six months of the incident, and a city's charter can set its own notice period, so a city's deadline may differ. These caps apply only to claims against a governmental unit. Damages for bodily injury or death are capped at $250,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence for the state and cities, and $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence for other local governments. Property damage has its own cap of $100,000 per occurrence. Deadlines have exceptions, so confirm yours with a licensed Texas lawyer as soon as you can.

Barratry, such as soliciting a client in person, by phone or by social media direct message to get paid, or paying someone to find clients, is a third-degree felony under the Penal Code (Chapter 38).

The 30-day rule after a Texas accident

A lawyer, chiropractor, physician, private investigator or other listed professional who hasn't been asked for help generally can't send you a written solicitation about a personal injury or wrongful death claim before the 31st day after the accident. The same law covers contacting people who already have a lawyer or who said they don't want contact. The State Bar's ethics rules also bar most in-person and live phone or electronic solicitation, and solicitation mail must be clearly designated an "ADVERTISEMENT".

Civil barratry and your legal contract

Under the civil barratry section of the Government Code (Chapter 82), a client whose legal contract was obtained through barratry can void it and recover the fees and expenses paid, actual damages, a $10,000 penalty and attorney's fees. A person solicited illegally who never signed can sue for a $50,000 penalty, plus actual damages and attorney's fees. The section was last amended by H.B. 4325, effective September 1, 2025.

The State Bar's Advertising Review Department reviews lawyer ads and solicitation letters, and lawyers may seek pre-approval at least 30 days before using one. If someone approaches you after a crash offering a lawyer, write down who, when and how, and ask a licensed Texas lawyer whether the contact broke these rules.

The Texas Family Code sets three starting rules for a divorce.

• Residency. Either spouse must have lived in Texas for the preceding six months and in the filing county for the preceding 90 days.
• Waiting period. A court generally can't grant a divorce before the 60th day after the suit was filed, with exceptions for certain family violence cases.
• No-fault grounds. A court may grant a divorce without regard to fault when the marriage has become insupportable.

The State Bar's rate report doesn't give a typical total for a Texas divorce. The hourly rates above are the closest guide, and the total depends on how many hours the case takes. Ask a divorce lawyer for the hourly rate, the retainer and a written estimate for an agreed case and a contested one. Search the State Bar directory for lawyers board certified in Family Law if you want that credential. Confirm how these rules apply to your marriage with a licensed Texas family lawyer.

Every attorney licensed in Texas appears in the State Bar of Texas Find a Lawyer directory. It shows basic information on each lawyer and filters by board certification, languages spoken and fee options. The State Bar says it isn't responsible for the accuracy of the data, so treat it as a starting point.

Texas lawyer discipline and eligibility

The State Bar lets you look up a lawyer and view his or her disciplinary history. It also publishes recent disciplinary actions and an Ineligible Attorney List; check both before you sign anything.

Board certified lawyers in Texas

A Texas lawyer may advertise as "Board Certified" in an area only if the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, or an organization it has accredited, certified them (Rule 7.02(b)). Certification areas include Personal Injury Trial Law, Family Law, Criminal Law and Civil Trial Law. The directory filter can confirm TBLS certification. For another certifying body, ask the lawyer which organization certified them.

Complaints about a Texas lawyer

Grievances must be filed on the State Bar's current grievance form, effective October 1, 2025, and can be submitted online; old or incomplete forms are rejected. If a lawyer stole your money or didn't refund an unearned fee, the Client Security Fund may repay you, generally after a grievance finds that happened. You must apply within 18 months of the disciplinary judgment.

The State Bar's Lawyer Referral & Information Service, (800) 252-9690, refers you to a lawyer for a consultation of up to 30 minutes for no more than $20. It has no lawyers offering free or reduced-fee help. Residents of Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Jefferson, Travis and Tarrant counties are sent to their local certified referral service instead.

Local lawyer referral services in Texas

• Dallas Bar Association: a 30-minute consultation with a Dallas-area attorney for a $20 fee; the area includes Plano and Collin County.
• Houston Lawyer Referral Service: covers Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Galveston counties.
• Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas (Austin): your first consultation is free for up to 30 minutes.
• San Antonio Bar Association: the only certified lawyer referral service in San Antonio, operating since 1966.
• Tarrant County Bar Association and the Jefferson County Bar Association also run certified services.

For free legal information, TexasLawHelp.org has self-help guides, guided forms and a directory of legal aid. A referral consultation is a first conversation, so ask about next steps and fees before you agree to more.

1. Look the lawyer up in the State Bar directory and check the disciplinary history and the Ineligible Attorney List.
2. If they say "Board Certified," check the area in the directory filter or ask which organization certified them.
3. For an injury case, get the contingent fee agreement in writing, signed by both of you, with any settlement, trial and appeal percentages and the expense deductions spelled out.
4. For hourly work, ask for the rate, the billing increment, the retainer and a written estimate.
5. Ask which deadline applies to your claim and the date it runs out.
6. Be wary of anyone who contacted you first after an accident, especially within 30 days.
7. Walk away from any lawyer who promises a result or a settlement amount.
8. Keep copies of the contract and every bill.

None of this is legal advice. Confirm your situation with a licensed Texas lawyer.

Each city page lists local attorneys ranked on public review data (see our terms of service) and points back to the State Bar checks above. If a divorce means buying or selling a home, see the Texas real estate agent guide. Browse lawyers by region.

Lawyers in Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas, Garland, Irving, Mesquite, Grand Prairie, Carrollton, Fort Worth, Arlington, Southlake, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Rockwall, Weatherford. Region guide: Dallas-Fort Worth.

Lawyers in North Texas and Texoma

Sherman, Wichita Falls. Region guide: North Texas and Texoma.

Lawyers in Houston and the Gulf Coast

Houston, Pasadena, Cypress, Baytown, Katy, Conroe, Pearland, League City, Friendswood, Texas City, Galveston, Angleton. Region guide: Houston and the Gulf Coast.

Lawyers in Southeast Texas

Beaumont. Region guide: Southeast Texas.

Lawyers in East Texas

Tyler, Longview. Region guide: East Texas.

Lawyers in Austin and the Hill Country corridor

Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, San Marcos. Region guide: Austin and the Hill Country corridor.

Lawyers in Central Texas

Killeen, Waco. Region guide: Central Texas.

Lawyers in San Antonio and the Hill Country

San Antonio, New Braunfels, Boerne. Region guide: San Antonio and the Hill Country.

Lawyers in South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley

Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville, Harlingen. Region guide: South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.

Lawyers in West Texas

El Paso, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, San Angelo. Region guide: West Texas.

Lawyers in Panhandle and South Plains

Lubbock, Amarillo. Region guide: Panhandle and South Plains.