NJ is 8th in the entire U.S. for states that need lawyers most

I’m not surprised that NJ would have a relatively higher demand for legal services than other states, but a new study puts us at number 8 in the county for needing a lawyer.

The Patel Group put together a study to find which states need and use lawyers the most based on searches for various types of lawyers and generic lawyer-related terms on Google.

The study used Google keyword planner data (over the last 12 months) to determine an average monthly search volume for each state. States were then ranked for searches per 100,000 people.

NJ was found to be 8th in the country with 370.8 searches per 1,000.

NJ has a relatively high population density, and that population density can lead to more legal disputes and therefore a higher demand for legal services. In that respect, it kind of makes sense.

Colorado, a state with off-the-charts population growth because of people flocking there, and a relatively high divorce rate, ranks number one according to the study.

Our three most searches for lawyers are immigration lawyers, family law and real estate lawyers, in that order.

With so much ethnic diversity in our state and so many immigrants, it’s no surprise that our most-searched-for attorneys in this state are those that specialize in immigration law.

These are complicated laws and shouldn't be navigated without a professional.

And although divorce rates remain lower here in NJ than in other states, residents are searching for family lawyers to resolve custody disputes.

We’re a state of real estate owners and investors and with some of the priciest real estate in the country, you can bet we’re consulting real estate attorneys here. It makes little sense not to.

At the other end of the scale, Montana, ranked number 50, is the state where people are least interested in hiring a lawyer. I’m not sure why, but perhaps a simpler lifestyle, more open space and less diversity make for fewer legal disputes.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.