The phones at criminal defense attorney Jackie Patterson's law firm used to ring constantly, but the coronavirus pandemic has nearly silenced them.

"I normally get 60 to 70 calls a day," said Patterson, an Atlanta solo practitioner. "I now get about four calls a day."

Patterson has taken a major hit to his law firm revenue—and he is not alone.

Some attorneys have lost 80% or more of their income during the COVID-19 pandemic, and family lawyers and criminal law attorneys are hurting the most, according to a national survey of lawyers by ALM Media, which publishes Law.com.

The survey from April 1 to 23 asked how the coronavirus outbreak has impacted lawyers' income or revenue, how their new case filings have changed and what's been happening with new clients seeking representation. The 292 lawyers who took the survey are from Texas, Georgia, Florida, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and other areas.

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'It was hard to bill'

According to the survey, the pandemic is drastically impacting family law attorneys.


View the figures:

Graphic: David Palmer/ALM

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