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Hourly rate guidance for firms and locums
Plan your locum budget.
Understand your rate.
Explore our published hourly rates for locum solicitors, legal executives and other legal professionals. Find a guide for your practice area, compare earlier years and get advice on a specific assignment.
Latest monthly publication · August 2026
What does a locum solicitor cost?
Rates vary by practice area, experience, location and assignment. These selected figures are from our August 2026 report and provide a starting point for a discussion, rather than a quotation for work today.
| Practice area | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Conveyancing | £40–£55 |
| Commercial property | £50–£70 |
| Wills & probate | £45–£70 |
| Civil litigation | £50–£70 |
| Employment | £50–£65 |
| Family: private work | £45–£55 |
| Commercial contracts | £35–£75 |
| In-house counsel: 3+ years PQE | £50–£125 |
Agency fees are additional. The source report covers self-employed locums billing clients directly. Allow separately for any applicable VAT and agreed expenses. PQE means post-qualification experience.
2026 annual report · historical data through July 2026
How have locum hourly rates changed?
Our annual report brings together published snapshots for 2022–2026, with earlier figures from 2019–2021. It includes practice-area tables, a comparison chart and commentary on what the changes mean for law firms and locums.
Conveyancing
£30–£40 → £45–£55
December 2022 to July 2026
Wills & probate
£40–£55 → £45–£65
December 2022 to July 2026
The annual comparison uses one dated report per year, not an annual average of rates earned. Its 2026 snapshot is July; the newer August report is linked above.
Browse the archive
Monthly hourly rate reports
Choose a publication to see the figures and commentary for that period. Historical reports show the market guidance published at the time; they should not be used as a current quotation.
2026
For the longer-term picture and links to earlier publications, read the annual report.
Make a useful comparison
What affects the rate you pay or charge?
Experience and responsibility
The work involved matters as much as the job title. Specialist files, supervision, management and responsibility for a department can affect the rate.
Length and notice
A planned, ongoing booking may be priced differently from urgent cover or a small piece of work. Set out the dates and likely workload clearly.
Location and working arrangements
Office attendance, travel, local availability and remote access can influence a quote. Remote work does not automatically mean a fixed discount.
Timing and availability
Our reports have often shown seasonal differences, particularly around summer cover. The available pool for a particular assignment can change quickly.
Locum rate + agency fee = your starting budget
Our published agency fee is 18% of monies paid to the locum. For example, a £50 hourly locum rate plus a £9 agency fee gives a total of £59 per hour, before any applicable VAT or agreed expenses.
Confirm the rate and engagement arrangements before work starts. View our fees and calculator or register your assignment to discuss a specific requirement.
Your next step
Practical help for firms and locums
Compare hourly and salary figures
Use our calculators to explore hourly rates and salary equivalents. Remember to allow for unpaid time, business costs and differences in benefits.
Explore regional guidance
Read our regional guide for further context on how location and working arrangements can affect a locum assignment.
Download our free locum guide
Find practical advice on getting started, finding assignments and getting paid. Complete the short form on the guide page to access the PDF.
Recruiting for a permanent role? Visit our sister business, Ten-Percent Legal Recruitment, for permanent legal recruitment and salary guidance.
Questions about hourly rates
Are the published figures guaranteed rates?
No. The reports give indicative ranges drawn from recruitment activity, including assignments, rates indicated by locums and rates agreed on new bookings. An individual quote depends on the brief and current availability.
Do the figures include agency fees?
No. The published locum rate bands exclude agency fees. Our agency fee is shown separately; any applicable VAT and agreed expenses also need to be allowed for.
Are the annual report figures annual averages?
No. They are dated snapshots selected from the published reports. The annual report explains which month was used for each year and highlights changes in category definitions.
How do I find out the rate for my assignment?
Register the assignment with the practice area, dates, location, working arrangements and experience required. We can then discuss an appropriate rate and availability.
Page reviewed: 7 October 2026. Latest monthly report linked: August 2026. Annual report comparison: through July 2026. Interim Lawyers is a trading name of Ten-Percent.co.uk Limited.
