Benchmarks
Market context for forecasts and fee defense.
Debtor lead counsel blended rate
2022–2026
Latest point reflects the Debtwire 1Q26 reported average; earlier points illustrative.
Top partner rates
Anonymized firms
Fees as a share of liabilities by case path
Debtor lead counsel
Fees across all estate professionals averaged 3.7% of liabilities in large cases emerging 2019–24.
Source: FTI Consulting and Octus, ABI Journal, Nov 2025
Doubling debtor size raises fees by less than about 40%.
Source: Lubben, ABI fee study
Prepackaged and prenegotiated cases cost about the same in total as freefall cases, in about half the time.
Source: FTI and Octus
Fee cuts exceeded 4% of the amount requested in only 11% of cases.
Source: LoPucki and Doherty, 2004