Legal Fees Soar for Bankruptcy Cases

Hourly rates for bankruptcy lawyers are topping $3,000, contributing to soaring chapter 11 costs that have prompted more companies to turn to faster out-of-court restructurings.

- BY BECKY YERAK

Major law firms have been raising prices at double-digit rates. Latham & Watkins has said its top billing rate will exceed $3,000 an hour in 2026. In recent court filings, Latham lawyers involved in the Imerys Talc America, Barretts Minerals and I