How Much Does a Federal Defense Lawyer Cost

How Much Does a Federal Defense Lawyer Cost

You just learned that federal defense lawyers cost anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and your heart is pounding because you don’t have that kind of money. Maybe you’re under federal investigation, you’ve been indicted, or you received a grand jury subpoena. You’ve spent the last hour googling costs while feeling sick to your stomach. The numbers you’re seeing aren’t typos—they’re the real financial reality of defending yourself when the full power of the United States government is focused on putting you in federal prison.

Todd Spodek—the federal criminal defense attorney you might have seen on Netflix—understands this exact moment of financial terror. He’s walked hundreds of clients through it over his 15 years of federal practice. Unlike attorneys who avoid cost conversations until you’re in their office, Spodek provides transparent cost discussions during initial consultations. You deserve to understand the financial commitment before making decisions. His direct number is 212-300-5196. He answers personally. Federal investigations don’t respect business hours, and the decisions you make in the next few days could determine whether you spend the next decade free or in prison.

The cost ranges you’re seeing—$50,000 for a simple plea, $150,000 to $300,000 for a complex investigation, $250,000 to half a million for a federal trial—represent real attorney fees. A simple plea case might require 100 to 200 hours of attorney time. Reviewing discovery. Negotiating with prosecutors. Preparing sentencing memoranda. Court appearances. At hourly rates from $350 to $950 depending on experience and location, those hours add up fast. But federal cases rarely stay simple. Federal prosecutors don’t bring charges unless they’ve already invested months or years building what they believe is an airtight case. FBI agents. DEA investigators. IRS forensic accountants. Unlimited government resources.

Federal defense attorneys typically require substantial upfront retainers—often $25,000 to $150,000. Not because they’re overcharging. Federal cases are lengthy and require immediate action. That retainer covers initial investigation. Your attorney needs to understand what the government has, what they’re claiming you did, who’s cooperating against you. As the case progresses and the retainer depletes, you’ll likely need to replenish it. Experienced federal defense attorneys in major metros typically charge $600 to $950 per hour. They’re bringing decades of federal courtroom experience. Relationships with prosecutors and judges. Expertise in complex federal sentencing guidelines. The difference between five years and twenty years in prison.

Understanding why federal defense costs so much requires understanding what you’re fighting. Federal prosecutors—Assistant United States Attorneys—spend an average of 800 hours per case according to DOJ statistics. They have unlimited resources. FBI agents conducting surveillance operations for months. Forensic accountants who trace transactions through offshore accounts and shell companies. Computer experts recovering deleted files and breaking encryption. Wiretaps running for years. Cooperating witnesses facing their own decades in prison, witnesses who will say whatever prosecutors want because they’re terrified and desperate for sentence reductions. Grand juries who indict based on whatever story prosecutors present, and your attorney isn’t allowed in that room. When you hire a federal defense attorney, you’re not paying them to show up for a few court dates. You’re paying them to match that resource investment. Anything less means you’re bringing a knife to a gunfight. Federal prosecutors have a 90% conviction rate partly because they only bring cases where they’ve spent years stacking the deck. Your attorney needs to hire investigators to interview witnesses the government ignored. Those witnesses exist—the ones who hurt the prosecution narrative. Expert witnesses cost $15,000 to $75,000 each to review forensic evidence and testify about why it doesn’t mean what prosecutors claim. Computer forensics specialists charge $5,000 to $50,000 to analyze terabytes of data. Jury consultants who study the specific jury pool in your district. Discovery in modern federal cases often consists of hundreds of thousands of pages of documents. Thousands of hours of recorded phone calls. Years of emails. Banking records from multiple institutions. Your attorney spends months reviewing this material. Trial costs run three to five times higher than plea negotiations. Witness preparation. Jury selection taking days. Expert testimony choreographed to educate jurors about concepts they’ve never encountered. Trials that often run multiple weeks. Your attorney in court all day then working evenings preparing for the next day. Todd Spodek’s practice invests heavily in investigators and experts because he’s litigated federal cases for 15 years. Federal prosecutors arrive with unlimited resources. Effective defense requires matching their capabilities. Hidden costs beyond attorney fees include private investigators at $50 to $200 per hour. Medical evaluations. Forensic analysis. Travel. Depositions. Federal sentencing guidelines require attorneys with specific expertise because small differences in how charges are classified result in drastically different sentences. The difference between 87-108 months and 210-262 months often comes down to your attorney’s ability to argue offense level calculations. According to Federal Sentencing Commission data, defendants with inexperienced or underfunded counsel receive sentences averaging 27% longer. That translates to years of additional incarceration for the exact same conduct. Choosing a cheap attorney to save $100,000 in legal fees could cost you seven extra years in federal prison. That’s the worst financial decision possible. Spodek’s efficiency from 15 years of federal practice and relationships with prosecutors often result in faster resolutions. Better outcomes. He knows which prosecutors keep their word. Which arguments resonate with which judges. When pushing for trial makes sense versus when a reasonable plea better protects your interests.

Most people facing federal charges don’t have $200,000 available. Federal defense lawyers understand this. Family members pooling resources. Home equity lines of credit. Liquidating retirement accounts despite tax penalties because the alternative is prison. Working with attorneys who accept payment plans or property liens. Many federal defense attorneys require minimum upfront retainers of $25,000 to $75,000. This covers initial costs. Then they work with clients on monthly arrangements. Spodek’s firm recognizes that families don’t have unlimited assets. He works with clients on payment structures that acknowledge this reality while ensuring resources needed for effective defense are available. The question of trial versus plea has enormous cost implications. Spodek provides honest assessments of whether trial makes economic and strategic sense. He doesn’t push expensive trials when favorable plea resolutions better serve client interests.

The Real Question

The real question isn’t whether you can afford effective federal defense. It’s whether you can afford the years in federal prison that result from inadequate defense.

Federal investigations move fast once charges are imminent. Crisis moments require immediate strategic response. Call 212-300-5196 now.