I just completed editing a 2000 word article for a lawyer friend, which he is sending to the state bar journal. I'm not sure what a reasonable rate would be -- and even though he's a successful attorney I don't want to stick it to him.
Yeah, usually it's like whatever you feel is right for like an hourly rate or I think $0.015 to $0.02 per word depending on what kind of editing you did (line, copy, etc.) So like up to you, I guess.
If he’s a good friend I wouldn’t charge or just ask him to give whatever feels right. If he’s not a good friend I’d charge whatever my time is worth ( circa 50/hr currently)
Well, he's a smart guy but writes in a kind of flamboyant ramble. He gave me 2400 words, so I had to cut that to 2000 while keeping the heart of the article intact, and that took some time. Also, it's the sort of article that is best edited by someone familiar with the law and the legal community, e.g. a specialist of sorts. Both he and the journal editor are pleased with the outcome. So all things considered, maybe 3 hours hard work and some pondering time, plus a bit of legal research, I ended up with flat rate charge of $125.
In the words of my attorney friend, when I told him, his response was, "that's more than reasonable." In retrospect, and in the future, I'll keep in mind the hourly rate for associates, and bill more appropriately, e.g. more. Like $75 per hour -- in this case, three solid hours, or $225. But I was also able to get my will witnessed and notarized for free -- though he probably would have done that anyway as "professional courtesy," one lawyer to another.
Oh, so like sharks not attacking lawyers for the same reason? Seriously, you should charge what your time is worth. Giving a friend a discount is always an option.
