Fees and Billing | Marlowe & Okafor LLP

Hourly rates

Rates for 2026, effective January 1, 2026. We review them once a year, and existing engagements keep their rates for twelve months.

For work we can define in advance. The fee is in the engagement letter and doesn’t change unless you change the scope.

Flat fees
Service	Field	Fee
First call, 30 minutes	All fields	No charge
Written case assessment	Litigation	$2,500 to $6,000
Demand letter	Litigation	$1,500
Handbook review, redline and memo	Employment	$3,800
New Illinois employee handbook	Employment	$7,500 to $12,000
Non-compete and non-solicitation templates	Employment	$2,400
Position statement on an agency charge	Employment	$4,500 to $9,000
Harassment prevention training, up to 30 people	Employment	$1,800
Lease review, redline and one-page summary	Real estate	$1,950 to $4,500
Landlord lease form	Real estate	$3,500
Closing, building under $2 million	Real estate	From $6,500

Litigation: A security retainer of $10,000 to $25,000, held in our client trust account. We apply it to invoices as fees are earned and refund what is left at the end.
Flat-fee work: Half when you sign the engagement letter, half on delivery.
Counsel plan for employers: $1,250 a month for up to three hours of calls and email review. Cancel with 30 days’ notice.

Invoices: Monthly, in tenths of an hour, each entry with a description of the work. Due within 30 days.
Expenses: At cost, without markup: court filing fees, court reporters, transcripts and expert witnesses. We ask before any single expense over $500.
Payment: Check, ACH or wire transfer. Cards accepted for invoices up to $10,000, with no surcharge.
Not billed: The first call, copies, routine phone calls under six minutes and internal meetings between our lawyers on your matter.

Describe the matter and we’ll tell you on the first call which fees apply. The call is free, and your description is encrypted in your browser.