As you may already know if you are a frequent reader of this blog, Justia Ask A Lawyer is our free forum where users can get answers to their basic legal questions from licensed attorneys. This allows lawyers to market their practice while aiding consumers in learning more about the law.

Each quarter we are sharing updates about the participation on our Justia Ask A Lawyer forum. You can check out the rest of the 2021 updates in these posts: first quarter 2021, second quarter 2021, and third quarter 2021.

We’ve finished reviewing the data from the fourth quarter of 2021 and are back to share more information about the questions received, the lawyers participating in Justia Ask A Lawyer, and more! Keep reading to send if you can spot the trends.

Which Practice Areas Receive the Most Questions?

Our platform has more than 75 practice areas into which submitted questions may be categorized so that users can connect with the right type of lawyer for their matters. Some of these categories, however, more frequently receive questions than others.

As in the previous quarter, criminal law, Family Law, and real estate law remained the three most popular practice areas on the Justia Ask A Lawyer forum, followed by child custody law and employment law.

Which States Submit the Most Questions?

The people using Justia Ask A Lawyer to submit questions come from across the United States. Users in these 10 states submitted the most questions on our forum during the fourth quarter of 2021: California, Florida, Texas, New York, Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Ohio.

What Are the Most Active Practice Areas in Each State?

Because our Justia Ask A Lawyer users come from across the country and are faced with various legal matters, we also reviewed our data to determine the three most active practice area categories in each state and the District of Columbia in the fourth quarter last year.

Three Most Active Practice Areas By State – Q4

What Are the Most Searched Terms on Justia Ask A Lawyer?

Rather than submitting a question on the forum, users can also search our archive of existing questions and answers through Justia Ask A Lawyer. The infographic below shows 25 of our most search terms last quarter:

Who Are the Most Active Attorneys on Justia Ask A Lawyer?

While many lawyers consistently participate on Justia Ask A Lawyer, some devote more time than others. While the time dedicated by all lawyers in helping our users is valuable, 10 of the most active attorneys on our platform last quarter were: Timothy Denison, Alexander Ivakhnenko, Tim Akinpar, Anthony M. Avery, Terrence H. Thorgaard, Dale S. Gribow, Ellen Cronin Badeaux, Marcos Garciaacosta, Michael Mayoral, and Kyndra Mulder.

Where Did Active Lawyers Attend Law School?

Each quarter we also look at the law schools with the most participating alumni on Justia Ask A Lawyer. Did your alma mater make the top 10 list? Check out the data below:

1. University of Baltimore School of Law (Baltimore, Maryland)
2. Capital University Law School (Columbus, Ohio)
3. Cumberland School of Law, Samford University (Birmingham, Alabama)
4. Georgetown University Law Center (Washington D.C.)
5. Widener University, Delaware Law School (Wilmington, Delaware)
6. Suffolk University Law School (Boston, Massachusetts)
7. St. Louis University School of Law (St. Louis, Missouri)
8. Oklahoma City University School of Law (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
9. Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, University of Memphis (Memphis, Tennessee)
10. University of Richmond School of Law (Richmond, Virginia)

Final Thoughts: Why Do You Care?

Your future clients are likely looking for answers to their legal questions online. With Justia Ask A Lawyer, you have the opportunity to connect with those clients for free, while also helping people in need. To take advantage of this unique opportunity (and increase the odds you are featured in our next quarterly post), start answering questions today!