Lawyer Statistics: 55 Eye-Opening Stats & Trends for 2023

The legal industry is one of the most revered in the world. It is also one of the largest.

In 2022, the legal services industry is projected to be $789 billion globally. This represents an excellent recovery from the slowdown during the COVID-19 outbreak — many people saw 2022 as a “rebound year.”

More people in the U.S. are now seeking legal assistance than in 2019. In March 2022, new casework spiked to 24 percent, representing the highest rate we’ve seen since 2019.

The industry’s growth and technological advancements have primed it for innovation in the coming years and decades, with further impressive growth figures expected.

As the legal industry continues to evolve, lawyers and the individuals who work for them must stay across the main legal trends so that their firms can continue to grow with the industry.

In this article, we share 55 lawyer statistics that highlight these trends.

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Websites and law firm marketing statistics


55% of law firms of 10-49 lawyers have a marketing budget, while only 35% of law firms of 2-9 lawyers and 7% of solos have one.

law firm marketing budget


13% of firms say “no one” is responsible for marketing in their firms.

law firm marketing


94% of law firms now have a website.

law firm website


24% of law firms have marketing staff to manage their website, 21% use outside consultants, 13% use a lawyer in the firm, and 12% use an office manager or firm administrator.


69% of law firms say their website is mobile-friendly (26% don’t know)


70% of firms say that content for their website is written primarily by one or more lawyers.


The most popular content on law firm websites is partner profiles (99% of websites include these).


59% of law firm websites include legal articles written in-house.


55% of firms highlight recent successful cases on their websites.


Only 6% of firms say their websites offer live chat to clients (higher for smaller firms than larger ones).


37% of law firms say they have a blog (higher for larger firms than smaller firms).


88% of law firms use their blog mainly for client development.


Only 25% of law firms have claimed their Avvo profile.


50% of law firms still use event sponsorships as one of their main marketing channels.


25% of law firms still use print marketing, 18% use direct mail, 9% use radio, and 8% use Yellow Pages.


Social media marketing statistics for law firms


86% of law firms say they have a presence on social media.

LinkedIn is the most popular platform, with 87% of firms maintaining a presence, followed by Facebook (61%), Twitter (37%) and Instagram (13%).

social media law firm stats


77% of lawyers use social media for career development/networking, and 52% for client development.


45% of law firms use LinkedIn for marketing purposes.


Law firm stats on client communication & practice management


Only 31% of law firms communicate with clients through their website or another online service (other than email).


Only 9% of law firms provide fillable forms for online legal document creation/document preparation.


Only 38% of law firms offer online document sharing.


Only 17% of law firms say that consultations can be scheduled through their website.


25% more clients (35% compared to 28%) now prefer virtual meetings over in-person meetings.


79% of clients want the option to work remotely with their lawyers.


53% of lawyers use a laptop as their primary work computer.


85% of legal professionals use some form of software to manage their firms.


67% of law firms use conflict of interest checking software, and 51% use case/practice management software.


Reviews have the highest impact of any factor on hiring decisions, with 82% of legal clients seeking them before hiring a lawyer.


81% of potential legal clients seek referrals to aid their hiring decision.


Law firms using cloud-based legal practice management software are 60% more likely to have positive client relationships.


Law firms and security statistics


25% of law firms experienced a security breach in 2021 (e.g., a lost or stolen computer or exploited website).


42% of law firms have cyber liability insurance — up from 26% in 2017.


Billing and revenue statistics for lawyers


Hourly rates are the most common form of billing offered by 97% of law firms.


Only 37% of law firms offer flat fees for any type of legal matter.


Only 31% of law firms offer the ability for clients to pay online for legal services.


The average lawyer bills just 2.5 hours (31%) of an 8-hour day.


Lawyers don’t collect 12% of the hours they bill.


The average billable rate for lawyers is approximately $300 per hour.


The highest average hourly billing rate by practice area is $362 for both bankruptcy and intellectual property law.


The lowest average hourly billing rate by practice area is $91 for firms specializing in juvenile law.


The highest average hourly billable rate by state is $411/hour in DC.


The lowest average hourly billable rate by state is $163/hour in West Virginia.


Firms using multiple technologies collect 40% more revenue per lawyer than those that don’t.


40% of potential legal clients claim that they would not hire a lawyer who doesn’t accept debit or credit cards.


81% of clients would prefer to pay for legal services via payment plans.


Legal profession demographic and salary statistics


There were 1,327,010 active lawyers in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 2022.


In 2021, the median annual pay for a lawyer was $127,990 (or $61.54 per hour).


The employment of lawyers is projected to grow 10 percent between 2021 and 2031 (that’s faster than the average for all occupations).


38% of lawyers are female (compared with 31% in 2010)


19% of lawyers in the U.S. are classified as “of color” while 81% are white.


In the U.S., New York has the most lawyers of any state (187,246) and North Dakota the fewest (1,685).


Other interesting tech stats for law firms


Fewer than 30% of lawyers continue to work only from the office.


62% of law firms budget for technology.


45% of legal professionals believe technology can help create a more equitable justice system.


Frequently Asked Questions


Where did you collect the law firm statistics data?

The data for these lawyer statistics were compiled from several sources, including the following:


How much do law firms spend on marketing?

Most law firms invest approximately 7-8 percent of gross revenue in marketing. For small to medium-sized firms, that could mean an investment of between $1,000 – $5,000 per month for their digital marketing programs.

That said, there is no golden rule to how much lawyers should spend on marketing. Some firms choose to invest more than others. Firms in competitive practice areas like personal injury, criminal defense, and family law often need to spend more on their marketing programs than those in less-competitive areas like civil litigation, real estate, and small business/corporate law.

Generally speaking, marketing fees are 15-25 percent of their revenue. For example, if you’re looking to generate $10,000 in revenue from your marketing program, you can expect to pay $1,500 – $2,500 in fees.


Are lawyers allowed to do marketing?

Yes. Law firms are allowed to advertise their services. However, stringent lawyer advertising rules are enforced by the state and/or provincial bar associations.

If a law firm misleads the public or makes claims that the firm cannot substantiate, it may receive a citation for its legal advertising. For instance, law firms cannot claim that they are the best or top provider of their services or that they are experts or specialists unless they hold special qualifications.


Where are lawyers most successful?

You’ve worked hard getting through law school to become a practicing lawyer. It makes sense that you’d want to practice somewhere you can find a lot of success.

San Francisco, CA, is the top city for lawyers. Lawyers earn the second-highest median lawyer salary of $168,990, and first-year associate attorneys earn an average of $70,529, which is $6,000 more than the national average.

There’s substantial income and job growth in San Francisco, given California’s expanding legal industry, with many opportunities available if you go to law school and for other legal career professionals, like paralegals.


How in demand is a lawyer?

The employment of lawyers will grow 10 percent between 2021 and 2031, with 48,700 job openings for lawyers each year.

Many of these openings are to replace lawyers changing careers or retiring.


Are most lawyers male or female?

In 2022, there are still many more male lawyers than female lawyers. 38.3% of lawyers are female, while 61.% are male. However, women currently outnumber men in law school.


How many lawyers are in the United States?

According to the American Bar Association, there are currently 1,116,967 lawyers practicing in the United States. That is approximately one for every 300 people, or approximately 0.36% of the total population.

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