Hilgers PLLC
Hilgers PLLC is a national litigation and eDiscovery law firm with 140+ attorneys delivering Big Law-quality complex litigation, patent/IP, government enforcement defense, and corporate services at 30-50% below AmLaw rates from 22+ offices across 15+ U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersLincoln, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hilgers PLLC does
Hilgers PLLC is a national litigation and eDiscovery law firm founded in 2011 by Mike Hilgers in Lincoln, Nebraska, now operating from 22+ offices across 15+ U.S. states with a roster of 140+ attorneys. Approximately 90% of its litigation attorneys come from AmLaw 100 firms, top-10 law schools, or federal clerkships, which the firm combines with a hub-and-spoke operating model anchored in a low-cost Nebraska headquarters to deliver complex commercial litigation, patent and IP litigation, government enforcement defense, trademark prosecution, eDiscovery, and corporate services at 30-50% below Big Law billing rates. The firm maintains a vertically integrated discovery practice (HG EDGE) that employs W-2 attorney-reviewers under one roof rather than fragmenting work across vendors, and it is the largest NAMWOLF-certified women-owned law firm in the United States following the 2022 leadership transition that placed co-founder Heather Hilgers in the CEO role.
Revenue is generated primarily through hourly billing for litigation and discovery matters and lower-rate corporate services ($300-$500/hour) for contract review, M&A due diligence, and entity formation. The firm supplements hourly work with alternative fee arrangements and earns its client base — Fortune 500 corporations, financial institutions, telecom operators, and publicly traded issuers — through direct enterprise engagement rather than third-party distribution. Marketing is content-led: Sterling Miller's blog and ABA publications, free CLE webinars, downloadable practice-area white papers, and active LinkedIn presence drive inbound from in-house legal departments and General Counsel.
The business model is operationally disciplined: the firm reports no recurring debt, an industry-low attrition rate, daily time entry, and same-day invoicing (98.5% of invoices submitted on the first calendar day of each month), with office space averaging under 150 square feet per attorney versus 800+ at traditional Big Law firms. No external institutional investors or private equity backing are disclosed, and the firm is privately held under Heather Hilgers' leadership.
Hilgers PLLC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hilgers PLLC
- Legal name
- Hilgers PLLC
- Website
- https://hilgerslaw.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Hilgers PLLC is a national litigation and eDiscovery law firm with 140+ attorneys delivering Big Law-quality complex litigation, patent/IP, government enforcement defense, and corporate services at 30-50% below AmLaw rates from 22+ offices across 15+ U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hilgers PLLC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- IP Management, Patents & Trademark Software (BPAEAPAN)
Keywords
Where Hilgers PLLC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lincoln
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices22 records
Markets served
Hilgers PLLC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Legal Services - Hourly Billing: The firm bills clients on an hourly basis for litigation, discovery counsel, and corporate services. Rates for corporate services are in the $300 to $500 range, significantly below Big Law rates of $500-$1,000+ per hour. The firm's cost structure enables rates 30-50% below Big Law counterparts while maintaining Big Law-quality talent and experience.
- Alternative Fee Arrangements: Hilgers offers flexible pricing models including alternative fee arrangements beyond hourly billing. The firm provides PDF resources outlining alternative fee arrangement options, indicating willingness to customize pricing based on client needs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Services - $300 to $500 per hour |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Litigation and Discovery Services - Hourly Billing |
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Alternative Fee Arrangements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Hilgers PLLC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hilgers PLLC is a national litigation and discovery law firm providing complex commercial litigation, eDiscovery, government enforcement defense, patent/IP litigation, trademark prosecution, and corporate legal services to enterprise clients. The firm combines Big Law-quality attorneys (90% from AmLaw 100 firms) with a hub-and-spoke model and vertically integrated W-2 discovery teams, delivering services at 30-50% below traditional Big Law rates.
Product overview
Hilgers PLLC is a nationwide litigation and discovery law firm offering a unified portfolio of legal services rather than a technology product. The core offerings include National Trial Counsel and Litigation Services (complex commercial litigation, patent/IP, securities), Discovery Counsel (eDiscovery and document review with expert teams), Government Enforcement and Investigations (regulatory defense), Patent/IP Litigation, Trademark Prosecution, and Corporate services. The firm operates a hub-and-spoke model with a main office in Lincoln, Nebraska and spoke offices in major metros, delivering Big Law-quality legal services at 30-50% reduced cost through business model efficiencies rather than technology products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- National Trial Counsel and Litigation Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 30-50% cost savings compared to Big Law
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Hilgers PLLC
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hilgers PLLC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Hilgers PLLC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hilgers PLLC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Epiq (Epiq Systems): Large global eDiscovery and managed legal services provider with end-to-end document review and discovery capabilities. Directly comparable to Hilgers' HG EDGE and vertically integrated discovery services in capability and enterprise client base.
- Consilio LLC: Global legal services consultancy focused on eDiscovery, document review, contract management, and legal staffing. Comparable to Hilgers' discovery and corporate services offerings for Fortune 500 legal departments seeking an outsourced, scalable alternative.
Broad incumbents
- Dentons: World's largest law firm by headcount with a polycentric, hub-style operating model across multiple geographies. Notable as a comparably scaled, geographically distributed alternative to traditional Big Law, though across a much broader practice footprint than Hilgers.
- BakerHostetler: Large AmLaw firm with a nationally recognized litigation practice and one of the largest in-house eDiscovery operations among law firms. Competes with Hilgers in complex commercial litigation and eDiscovery for Fortune 500 and mid-market enterprises.
- Thompson Hine LLP: AmLaw 200 firm that has publicly positioned around innovation, lean operations, and client-focused pricing models. Overlaps with Hilgers' positioning as a sophisticated, efficiency-oriented alternative for sophisticated enterprise clients.
- Reed Smith LLP: Global AmLaw firm with extensive litigation and discovery capabilities and a track record of alternative fee arrangements. Comparable in targeting enterprise clients with national litigation mandates and complex commercial disputes.
Direct peers
- Elevate Services: Technology-enabled legal services and consulting firm offering managed services, eDiscovery, and legal talent solutions to enterprise clients. Directly comparable in target market (Fortune 500 GCs) and in offering a vertically integrated, cost-disciplined alternative to Big Law.
- Axiom Law: Largest pure-play Alternative Legal Service Provider, deploying lawyers and legal staff into enterprise legal departments on flexible engagements. Competes with Hilgers for sophisticated legal work priced below Big Law, particularly on variable-scale matters.
- Seyfarth Shaw LLP: AmLaw 100 firm well known for pioneering lean delivery and alternative fee arrangements across litigation and eDiscovery. Competes with Hilgers for the same enterprise clients seeking predictable, lower outside-counsel spend.
- FisherBroyles: National, non-traditional law firm built around a distributed, lean-overhead model that competes directly with AmLaw firms on price. Most comparable to Hilgers in offering senior Big Law talent at reduced rates through low-cost hubs rather than a single high-rent HQ.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hilgers PLLC social profiles
Digital presenceHilgers PLLC compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Hilgers PLLC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hilgers PLLC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Hilgers PLLC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hilgers PLLC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hilgers PLLC
What does Hilgers PLLC do?
Hilgers PLLC is a national litigation and discovery law firm providing complex commercial litigation, eDiscovery, government enforcement defense, patent/IP litigation, trademark prosecution, and corporate legal services to enterprise clients. The firm combines Big Law-quality attorneys (90% from AmLaw 100 firms) with a hub-and-spoke model and vertically integrated W-2 discovery teams, delivering services at 30-50% below traditional Big Law rates.
Is Hilgers PLLC a public or private company?
Hilgers PLLC is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hilgers PLLC founded?
Hilgers PLLC was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Hilgers PLLC based?
Hilgers PLLC is headquartered in Lincoln, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hilgers PLLC make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Legal Services - Hourly Billing is the primary driver. The others are alternative Fee Arrangements.
Who are Hilgers PLLC's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Epiq (Epiq Systems) and Consilio LLC. Broad incumbents are Dentons, BakerHostetler, Thompson Hine LLP and Reed Smith LLP. Direct peers are Elevate Services, Axiom Law, Seyfarth Shaw LLP and FisherBroyles.
Does Hilgers PLLC have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hilgers PLLC.
What industry is Hilgers PLLC in?
Hilgers PLLC's product category is Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAG, Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services, with a secondary code of BPAEAPAN, IP Management, Patents & Trademark Software. Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.