You’ve built a solid legal practice, earned stellar reviews, and invested in a sleek, professional website—yet your inbox remains eerily quiet. Meanwhile, a rival firm down the street, with half your experience, keeps landing high-value cases. Frustrating, right?
You’ve launched a slick website, dabbled in social media, and maybe even tried some Google Ads—but the phone just isn’t ringing as often as it should. Sound familiar?
Here’s the real problem: potential clients are actively searching for legal services like yours but finding your competitors instead. Why? Because they’re ranking for the right lawyer keywords—the ones that actually drive case inquiries, not just traffic.
That stops today. What you’re about to get is a comprehensive arsenal of 208 carefully researched lawyer keywords that represent your fastest route to page one rankings.
I’ve analyzed 7,958 lawyer keywords, totalling over 2 million monthly searches, using industry-leading SEO tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush.
After crunching the numbers and filtering out the noise, I’ve distilled this mountain of data into 208 high-potential keywords across 14 strategic categories specifically designed for law firm websites.
1. Criminal Lawyer
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
criminal lawyer | 22200 | High |
criminal attorney | 18100 | High |
criminal defense attorney | 14800 | High |
criminal defense lawyer | 14800 | High |
defense attorney | 12100 | High |
dui lawyer | 9900 | High |
dui attorney | 8100 | High |
traffic lawyer | 6600 | High |
domestic violence lawyer | 4400 | High |
theft lawyer | 2900 | Moderate |
federal criminal defense attorney | 2400 | High |
drug possession lawyer | 2400 | High |
assault lawyer | 1900 | High |
felony lawyer | 1900 | High |
sex crimes attorney | 1600 | High |
fraud attorney | 1300 | High |
weapons charge lawyer | 1300 | High |
violent crime attorney | 1000 | High |
misdemeanor lawyer | 880 | Moderate |
probation violation attorney | 880 | Moderate |
white collar crime lawyer | 720 | High |
expungement lawyer | 720 | Moderate |
juvenile defense attorney | 590 | Moderate |
bail hearing lawyer | 480 | Moderate |
parole attorney | 390 | Moderate |
2. Family Lawyer
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
divorce lawyer | 40500 | High |
divorce attorney | 33100 | High |
family lawyer | 22200 | High |
family law attorney | 18100 | High |
child custody lawyer | 8100 | High |
family attorney | 6600 | High |
child support lawyer | 5400 | High |
custody lawyer | 5400 | High |
adoption attorney | 2900 | High |
custody attorney | 2900 | High |
divorce lawyers near me | 2900 | High |
guardianship lawyer | 1900 | Moderate |
paternity lawyer | 1600 | Moderate |
divorce consultation | 1300 | Moderate |
📍 IMPORTANT
This lawyer keyword data provides valuable search insights into the legal industry’s current online landscape. However, to turn these keywords into actual case inquiries, you must tailor them to your specific law firm’s situation. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it because of key factors like:
🔹 Your Current Rankings – Are you starting from scratch, or do you already rank for some legal terms? A new firm needs a different keyword strategy than an established practice with existing visibility.
🔹 Marketing Resources – Your SEO budget, content creation capacity, and link-building efforts determine which keywords you can realistically target. Some legal terms require aggressive SEO efforts, while others are easier wins.
🔹 Practice Areas – Your specialties shape keyword selection. A personal injury firm needs a different approach than an estate planning attorney or corporate law practice. Generic legal keywords won’t capture your firm’s expertise.
🔹 Case Value & Lead Quality – Your service economics shape your keyword strategy. Only you know which practice areas drive your profitability. Whether it’s high-volume DUI cases, complex divorce proceedings, or contingency-based injury claims, your understanding of client acquisition costs and lifetime value should guide which keywords receive priority attention.
🔹 Local Competition – Understanding who you’re competing against in search results—whether it’s national legal directories, established regional firms, or aggressive solo practitioners—influences your keyword difficulty threshold and content development approach.
Every law firm has unique strengths, market positioning, and client demographics that demand a customized keyword strategy.
While these 208 keywords provide a strong foundation for your legal SEO strategy, achieving meaningful rankings requires a deeper, customized approach that considers your specific practice areas, geographic reach, and practice development goals.
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3. Personal Injury Lawyer
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
personal injury lawyer | 60500 | High |
injury lawyer | 33100 | High |
personal injury attorney | 33100 | High |
accident attorney | 27100 | High |
accident lawyer | 27100 | High |
injury attorney | 22200 | High |
medical malpractice lawyer | 8100 | High |
car accident lawyer | 6600 | High |
car accident attorney | 5400 | High |
slip and fall lawyer | 4400 | High |
malpractice lawyer | 4400 | High |
truck accident lawyer | 3600 | High |
wrongful death attorney | 2900 | High |
motorcycle accident lawyer | 2400 | High |
pedestrian accident lawyer | 1900 | High |
4. Immigration Lawyer
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
immigration lawyer | 49500 | High |
immigration attorney | 33100 | High |
deportation lawyer | 5400 | High |
asylum lawyer | 2900 | High |
green card lawyer | 2400 | High |
immigration consultation | 2400 | Moderate |
immigration law firm | 1900 | High |
visa lawyer | 1900 | High |
citizenship lawyer | 1600 | High |
refugee lawyer | 880 | Moderate |
immigration paralegal | 720 | Moderate |
5. Real Estate Lawyer
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
real estate attorney | 18100 | High |
real estate lawyer | 14800 | High |
eviction lawyer | 8100 | High |
landlord tenant lawyer | 2900 | High |
property lawyer | 2900 | High |
foreclosure attorney | 2400 | High |
housing lawyer | 1900 | High |
landlord attorney | 1600 | High |
tenant lawyer | 1600 | High |
lease attorney | 1300 | Moderate |
property attorney | 1300 | High |
zoning attorney | 880 | Moderate |
6. Business Lawyer
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
business lawyer | 14800 | High |
business attorney | 12100 | High |
contract lawyer | 8100 | High |
corporate lawyer | 6600 | High |
small business attorney | 2900 | High |
contract attorney | 2400 | High |
employment lawyer | 2400 | High |
corporate attorney | 1900 | High |
business law firm | 1600 | High |
contract law attorney | 1300 | High |
startup lawyer | 1300 | High |
securities attorney | 1000 | High |
merger and acquisition attorney | 880 | High |
7. Lawyer “Near Me”
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
lawyer near me | 301000 | High |
attorneys near me | 110000 | High |
lawyer in my area | 33100 | High |
lawyers nearby | 27100 | High |
lawyers in my area | 22200 | High |
local attorney | 14800 | High |
criminal lawyer near me | 12100 | High |
divorce lawyer near me | 9900 | High |
personal injury lawyer near me | 8100 | High |
family lawyer near me | 5400 | High |
real estate attorney near me | 4400 | High |
bankruptcy lawyer near me | 3600 | High |
immigration attorney near me | 3600 | High |
accident lawyer near me | 2900 | High |
estate planning attorney near me | 2400 | High |
📍 Important Note About “Near Me” Keywords
Google’s sophisticated location intelligence processes legal “near me” searches contextually, not through literal keyword matching. Rather than awkwardly stuffing “near me” into your law firm pages, focus your efforts on:
- Fully optimizing your Google Business Profile with accurate practice areas, attorney information, and consultation hours
- Strategically incorporating your jurisdiction, courthouse proximity, and service area names in page titles and H1/H2 headers
- Building location-specific landing pages for multi-location firms that naturally incorporate geographic terms
- Developing a strong foundation of local citations and legal directory listings with consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information
- Implementing LocalBusiness and Attorney schema markup that clearly communicates your practice location and service areas
This strategic approach aligns with how search engines actually determine local relevance for legal searches, producing significantly better results than forcing unnatural “near me” phrases into your website content.
8. Lawyer [City/state]
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
houston car accident lawyer | 12100 | Moderate |
injury lawyer los angeles | 12100 | Moderate |
car accident lawyer houston | 8100 | Moderate |
injury lawyer los angeles ca | 6600 | Moderate |
auto accident lawyer las vegas | 5400 | Moderate |
car accident lawyer las vegas | 5400 | Moderate |
car crash lawyer houston | 5400 | Moderate |
car accident lawyer in houston | 5400 | Moderate |
accident lawyer philadelphia | 4400 | Moderate |
auto accident lawyer in los angeles | 4400 | Moderate |
houston auto accident lawyer | 4400 | Moderate |
best divorce lawyer in irvine | 3600 | Easy |
atlanta car accident lawyer | 3600 | Moderate |
houston truck accident lawyer | 3600 | Moderate |
immigration lawyer chicago | 3600 | Moderate |
immigration lawyer houston | 3600 | Moderate |
las vegas car accident lawyer | 3600 | Moderate |
9. Lawyer Consultation
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
---|---|---|
free lawyer consultation | 12100 | High |
free legal advice | 9900 | High |
free attorney consultation | 6600 | High |
legal advice | 6600 | High |
free legal consultation | 5400 | High |
legal services | 5400 | High |
lawyer consultation | 4400 | High |
legal help | 4400 | High |
attorney consultation | 3600 | High |
legal aid | 3600 | Moderate |
free legal help | 2900 | Moderate |
legal counsel | 2400 | High |
law advice | 1900 | High |
pro bono lawyer | 1900 | Moderate |
document preparation services | 1600 | Moderate |
10. Cost & Fees
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
how much does a lawyer cost | 5400 | High |
affordable lawyer | 4400 | High |
cheap lawyer | 4400 | High |
lawyer fees | 3600 | High |
attorney fees | 2900 | High |
low cost lawyer | 2400 | High |
how much do lawyers charge | 1900 | High |
affordable attorney | 1600 | High |
how much does an attorney cost | 1600 | High |
lawyer payment plans | 1600 | High |
cheap attorney | 1300 | High |
contingency fee lawyer | 1300 | High |
lawyer retainer fee | 1000 | High |
low income lawyer | 880 | Moderate |
lawyer hourly rate | 720 | Moderate |
11. Quality & Credentials
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
best lawyer | 22200 | High |
best attorney | 14800 | High |
top lawyers | 9900 | High |
best lawyers | 8100 | High |
top rated lawyers | 5400 | High |
best personal injury lawyer | 4400 | High |
top attorneys | 3600 | High |
best criminal lawyer | 2900 | High |
best divorce lawyer | 2900 | High |
experienced lawyer | 2400 | High |
certified attorney | 1900 | High |
super lawyers | 1900 | High |
best immigration lawyer | 1600 | High |
best law firms | 1600 | High |
board certified lawyer | 1300 | High |
12. Law Firms & Legal Practices
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
law firm | 74000 | High |
law firms | 33100 | High |
law office | 18100 | High |
legal firm | 8100 | High |
attorney office | 2900 | High |
law group | 2900 | High |
legal practice | 1900 | High |
legal team | 1600 | High |
solo practitioner lawyer | 1300 | Moderate |
boutique law firm | 720 | High |
attorney partnership | 590 | High |
lawyer associates | 480 | High |
legal associates | 390 | High |
13. Online & Remote Lawyers
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
virtual lawyer | 4400 | High |
online lawyer | 3600 | High |
online attorney | 2900 | High |
virtual attorney | 2400 | High |
phone lawyer consultation | 1900 | High |
remote legal services | 1600 | Moderate |
video consultation lawyer | 1300 | Moderate |
zoom lawyer | 880 | Moderate |
email lawyer | 720 | Moderate |
digital law firm | 590 | Moderate |
contactless legal services | 480 | Easy |
web based legal help | 390 | Moderate |
online legal documents | 320 | Moderate |
14. Special Legal Areas
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
bankruptcy lawyer | 40500 | High |
bankruptcy attorney | 33100 | High |
probate lawyer | 9900 | High |
estate planning lawyer | 8100 | High |
workers comp lawyer | 8100 | High |
probate attorney | 6600 | High |
tax attorney | 6600 | High |
social security disability lawyer | 5400 | High |
workers compensation attorney | 5400 | High |
disability lawyer | 4400 | High |
intellectual property lawyer | 3600 | High |
patent attorney | 3600 | High |
ssdi lawyer | 2900 | High |
trademark attorney | 2400 | High |
copyright lawyer | 1900 | High |
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Final Thoughts
This deep dive into 7,958+ lawyer keywords with over 2 million monthly searches provides a robust foundation for your legal SEO strategy, but frankly, it’s just scratching the surface. The search landscape for legal services is remarkably nuanced, with distinct patterns that vary dramatically by practice area, jurisdiction, and client needs.
What this keyword data reveals is compelling:
Practice specialization drives targeted traffic. When potential clients search “criminal defense lawyer” (14,800 monthly searches) or “immigration lawyer” (49,500 searches), they’re not casually browsing—they have an immediate need requiring specialized expertise. The more precisely you can match their specific legal concern, the higher your conversion rate.
Location dominates conversion paths. City and state-specific keywords represent clients with clear geographic intent and often immediate legal needs. “Houston car accident lawyer” and “divorce lawyer charlotte” aren’t just searching for information—they’re actively seeking representation in their area.
Client questions reveal their decision process. The need-based keywords uncover what’s actually going through a potential client’s mind: “Do I need a lawyer for this?” “How do I choose the right attorney?” “Can I afford legal help?” Addressing these concerns directly in your content creates trust before the first consultation.
But here’s the critical insight: every legal market has unique dynamics, and your keyword strategy must reflect this reality. The keywords that drive growth for a personal injury firm in Houston will differ substantially from those that work for a family law practice in Charlotte or an immigration attorney in Los Angeles.
Beyond the raw data, my 20+ years of SEO experience have shown that the most successful firms focus their keyword strategy on the intersection of three factors: their genuine expertise, their ideal client profile, and keywords with manageable competition levels. This targeted approach consistently outperforms broad-based strategies attempting to rank for every legal term.
Do you need help uncovering the exact keywords that’ll drive growth for your law practice? I can dive deep into your particular market and create a custom keyword strategy that aligns with your practice areas, geographic focus, and business development goals.
Your path to dominating legal search starts with the right keyword foundation. Let’s build yours together.