Legal consumer demand bouncing back and FindLaw.com is still #1
More than any year in recent history, 2020 has forced us all to dig deep and get creative. Our abilities to problem-solve, change course, and adapt have never been more tested – especially for law firms. From going virtual with their practices to responding to the initial softening of demand for legal services, attorneys at solo and small law firms have been forced to address and overcome numerous challenges.
While the pandemic continues to greatly affect legal professionals and the clients who come through their doors, recent months prove that the resiliency and innovation displayed by so many is paying off. How do we know? Data from FindLaw.com, the number one most visited legal consumer website according to Comscore, provides valuable insights into consumers’ behaviors – during the initial months of the pandemic, today, and into the future.
Looking back to spring 2020
In early March, as the pandemic began to spread throughout the U.S., millions of businesses were forced to close or send employees home to make do with often rudimentary technology capabilities. This included attorneys, many of whom moved law firm operations to their homes and were forced to figure out how to practice law 100% virtually.
During these early months, courts closed or went virtual and the number of unemployed Americans quickly climbed into the tens of millions, and demand for most legal services fell sharply. In fact, data from Google Trends shows that U.S. consumer searches for “lawyer” plummeted in mid-March and April. Similar trends played out on the FindLaw.com directory and all legal directories. Understandably, people simply “pressed pause” on dealing with their legal issues until a sense of relative stability returned.
Demand for legal services on upswing
Throughout the summer months, courts established and expanded their virtual capabilities, and demand for legal services surged. Despite so much changing in the daily lives of Americans, their legal problems did not go away and the time to address them had returned.
While demand in previously prominent practice areas like motor vehicle accidents and DUI defense slowed, the pandemic created many new problems and exacerbated existing issues. As evidence of this, search volume on FindLaw.com for terms related to landlord and tenant, real estate, and child custody disputes soared.
More than ever, legal consumers who are facing these and other issues need resources and help, and a significant number are turning to FindLaw.com for answers.
FindLaw.com continues to lead
With demand for legal services expected to increase in the coming months, FindLaw.com is the go-to resource for legal consumers. With roughly 11 million site visits and 20 million page views each month, FindLaw.com continues its reign as the number one legal website for consumers. This vantage point allows us to keep a pulse on the types of issues legal consumers face, the information they find valuable, and the actions they take to resolve their legal issues.
This data informs our FindLaw.com strategy to ensure we continue to provide the trusted and high-quality legal resources that consumers need as they navigate legal issues. And, with millions of FindLaw.com connections and referrals to attorneys each year, the numbers prove we continue to be successful at meeting these goals.
Looking ahead
In the months since COVID-19 upended the lives and livelihoods of so many people in the U.S., a new normal has emerged. While much about the coming months remains uncertain, we know that consumers will continue to need help understanding and resolving their legal problems. We also know that FindLaw.com will be ready to provide the valuable information, insight, and resources that help foster trust and connect consumers with the right attorneys.
Learn more about the FindLaw.com directory and suite of directories here, then meet with your local client development consultant to see how your firm can best get in front of consumers who are actively looking for an attorney.