NEW YORK - (Business Wire) A recent analysis of more than 1 million monthly searches conducted online at
Lawyers.com indicates a sharp 37 percent increase in the number of consumers seeking help locating bankruptcy attorneys during the second quarter of 2008 in comparison to the same period in 2007, according to
Lawyers.com, the leading online consumer destination for legal information and attorneys nationwide from LexisNexis
®.
In correlation with Lawyers.com searches for legal counsel, national chapter 7 consumer bankruptcy filings increased 30.5 percent in second quarter 2008 compared with the same period in 2007, according to data compiled by LexisNexis – another indicator consumers are struggling with personal finances and the current economic climate.
Similar to bankruptcy, Lawyers.com data suggests that consumers are seeking attorneys with expertise in other challenging areas presented by today’s economic volatility such as real estate, labor and employment, immigration, and family law.
“The current national trends in rising household debt, skyrocketing gas and food prices, tighter credit and a depressed housing market provide a revealing look into the preferences and even pain points of U.S. consumers nationwide when they seek a lawyer,” said Alan Kopit, legal editor for Lawyers.com. “We can safely say that legal counsel is primarily hired during times of need or crisis, and we can conclude that Americans are grappling with today’s rocky economic times based on their search behavior.”
The top ten search topics observed on Lawyers.com during a recent three month period this year (April 1, 2008 - June 30, 2008) are as follows:
| 1. Divorce |
| 2. Family Law |
| 3. Real Estate |
| 4. Criminal Law |
| 5. Bankruptcy |
| 6. Immigration |
| 7. Labor & Employment |
| 8. Child Custody |
| 9. Personal Injury |
| 10. Wills & Probate |
“Our attorney search data provides another proof point about the financial strains that are afflicting Americans,” said Kopit. “People simply cannot pay their bills, and many are turning to online resources and communities such as Lawyers.com to help them find help in making important decisions about their legal rights.”
According to Kopit, some important things that consumers should keep in mind when searching for an attorney are:
- Experience counts. When looking for a capable and reliable attorney you should look for someone whose expertise or area of practice is in line with the particular situation you need help with.
- Do your research! Use the Internet to your advantage as it not only provides a great way to connect with specialized attorneys, but it also helps you find out more about an attorney’s background, expertise and track record.
- Find someone in your geographic area. This will ensure that your attorney will be very familiar with state laws that might be applicable to your case. You can also call the bar association and verify that he or she is licensed to practice in your state.
To more effectively serve today’s legal consumer, Lawyers.com has recently re-launched its site to include new interactive capabilities and formatting to help users find what they need faster and to communicate with fellow consumers and legal professionals to learn about, discuss, and take action on the legal issues in their lives or businesses. New capabilities available through Lawyers.com include:
- “Life Events” section – helpful information, legal forms and templates on legal issues that arise in most peoples’ lives, such as divorce, starting a business, creating a will and more.
- Community and interactive features – users can interact with lawyers through a unique “Ask-a-Lawyer” platform, message boards, scheduled online sessions to discuss specific legal issues and real time forums.
- Legal documents - a comprehensive legal document service from RocketLawyer.com that combines “do it yourself” legal forms with online legal document review by real lawyers.
- Videos - Clips from experts on common legal issues.
- Blogs – Attorney insights on current key legal issues and trends.
- On the Docket – Read questions other consumers and small businesses are asking and benefit from the answers.
About Lawyers.com®
Lawyers.com (www.lawyers.com), from LexisNexis® and Martindale-Hubbell™, is the leading legal destination on the Web, providing consumers and small business professionals the information they need to learn about specific legal issues, find the right lawyer, and access free legal documents. Lawyers.com provides a free database of more than 1 million attorneys and law firms nationwide and helps site visitors make a fast, informed decision when researching legal matters and choosing a lawyer. More than one million searches per month are conducted through Lawyers.com by consumers and business people in search of legal information and the right legal representation for their needs.
About LexisNexis
LexisNexis® (www.lexisnexis.com) is a leading global provider of business information solutions to a wide range of professionals in the legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, accounting and academic markets. LexisNexis originally pioneered online information with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. A member of Reed Elsevier (NYSE: ENL) (NYSE: RUK) (www.reedelsevier.com), LexisNexis serves customers in more than 100 countries with 13,000 employees worldwide.
Note to editors: Additional Lawyers.com search terms data, including regional and state breakdown is available upon request.
LexisNexis
Marc Osborn, 425-460-2159
marc.osborn@lexisnexis.com
OR
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Milly Navarro, 972-335-8948
milly.navarro@ogilvypr.com
