Quick answer
Los Angeles runs $22.5 million a month in legal advertising, the heaviest of any U.S. market we track, ahead of New York at $14.5M and Atlanta at $12.9M. Streaming share swings from 48% in Atlanta to 3% in Washington DC, so the same budget buys a very different position depending on the DMA.
Los Angeles runs $22.5 million a month in legal advertising, the heaviest DMA in the markets we track and more than the next two markets, New York and Atlanta, almost combined. Not all markets are created equal, and the same strategy that dominates one DMA is invisible in another. Our analysis of where $141.6 million in monthly legal advertising goes maps the full spread.
The Wide Variance
Spend ranges from $22.5 million a month in Los Angeles down to under $300K in the smallest DMAs we track. The three largest markets, Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta, hold 35% of all spend across the panel. The other end of the table is where mid-sized DMAs see a fraction of that spending with far less competition.
Legal Advertising Spend by DMA, Ranked
This is the canonical ranked view across the markets we track: monthly legal advertising spend, streaming share of that spend, and the lead advertiser holding the most share of voice. Spend and streaming figures are panel-measured for December 2025.
| Rank | DMA | Monthly spend | Streaming share | Lead advertiser (share) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $22.5M | 33% | Jacoby & Meyers (19.6%) |
| 2 | New York, NY | $14.5M | 11% | Morgan & Morgan (13.3%) |
| 3 | Atlanta, GA | $12.9M | 48% | Morgan & Morgan (17.4%) |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $7.3M | 20% | Malman Law (13.7%) |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $7.2M | 18% | Jim Adler & Associates (16.8%) |
| 6 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | $6.9M | 10% | Thomas J. Henry (34.7%) |
| 7 | Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | $5.5M | 22% | Morgan & Morgan (24%) |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland, CA | $4.7M | 12% | Sweet James (16.9%) |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $4.6M | 12% | Morgan & Morgan (21.4%) |
| 10 | Las Vegas, NV | $4.5M | 33% | Morgan & Morgan (13.2%) |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $3.5M | 21% | Morgan & Morgan (18.6%) |
| 12 | St. Louis, MO | $3.3M | 20% | Morgan & Morgan (19.4%) |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $3.2M | 9% | Morgan & Morgan (30.4%) |
| 14 | New Orleans, LA | $3.1M | 20% | Morris Bart (18.7%) |
| 15 | Savannah, GA | $2.9M | 18% | Morgan & Morgan (26.3%) |
Two patterns jump out. Spend and streaming share move independently: Atlanta ranks third in dollars but first in streaming at 48%, while New York ranks second in dollars yet sits at 11% streaming. And one firm holds share of voice in market after market, with Morgan and Morgan and its $218M broadcast strategy leading 9 of these 15 DMAs.
What Drives DMA Intensity
Legal advertising concentration correlates with several factors:
Population and Accident Volume
More people means more accidents, which means more potential cases. High-population DMAs naturally attract more legal advertising.
Plaintiff-Friendly Venues
DMAs known for favorable jury verdicts attract PI advertising investment. Reputation for large verdicts justifies higher acquisition costs.
Mass Tort Activity
Some DMAs become heavy due to specific mass tort campaigns rather than general PI. When a major pharmaceutical or device litigation heats up, advertising in relevant markets spikes.
Competitive Dynamics
Markets where one or two firms dominate often see less entry by new competitors. Markets with fragmented competition might attract more advertisers trying to gain share.
Top Markets vs. Secondary Markets
Major Metro Reality
- Dominant nationals like Morgan and Morgan command presence
- CPMs and CPCs at highest levels
- Breaking through requires massive budget
- Marginal cost per incremental impression very high
- NYC, LA, Chicago, Houston, Miami
Secondary Market Opportunity
- Less competition from major nationals
- Lower media costs (CPMs, CPCs)
- Higher relative impact from moderate budgets
- Potential to establish dominant local presence
- Smaller population but efficient share capture
The trade-off: smaller population means smaller total addressable market. But efficient share capture often beats expensive competition in saturated markets.
Evaluating DMA Opportunity
When assessing a market, consider:
Ad Spend Per Capita
Total legal ad spend divided by population. High spend per capita indicates saturation; low suggests potential opportunity.
Active Advertiser Count
How many PI firms are actively advertising? More competitors means more fragmented attention. Fewer might indicate underserved market or low returns.
Dominant Player Presence
Is Morgan and Morgan heavily invested? Sweet James? Thomas J. Henry? Their presence significantly changes the competitive equation.
Media Cost Structure
What do TV, digital, and OOH actually cost in this market? Lower media costs stretch budgets further.
Case Economics
What are average case values in this market? Higher values justify higher acquisition costs. Markets with lower typical settlements have tighter economics.
OOH Heat Map Insights
ATRA’s reporting includes out-of-home advertising heat maps showing geographic concentration. OOH has surged 260%+ since 2017, with particularly dense billboard usage in certain DMAs.
High OOH density indicates:
- Heavy advertising competition in that market
- Focus on local brand building and saturation
- Often correlates with high overall legal ad spend
Strategic Implications
For Firms in Competitive DMAs
If you’re in a market like Los Angeles, where $22.5M a month flows in and the top firm holds 19.6% share of voice:
In New York’s $14.5M monthly market, for example, a $500K budget buys just 3% share of voice.
- Don’t try to outspend. The math doesn’t work against deep-pocketed nationals.
- Differentiate on targeting. Household-level precision beats broad demographic spray.
- Differentiate on creative. When everyone looks the same, different breaks through.
- Build brand before the moment of need. Create recognition so they search your name specifically.
- Consider geographic concentration. Own specific counties rather than spreading thin across the DMA.
For Firms in Less Competitive DMAs
If you’re in an underserved secondary market:
- Opportunity to dominate. Moderate budgets can achieve significant share of voice.
- Build before others arrive. Establish local brand equity before national competition increases.
- Full-funnel approach. With less competition, awareness campaigns have higher relative impact.
- Watch for market changes. If mass tort activity or nationals enter, adjust strategy.
The Right Market Question
The question isn’t just “which DMA has the most potential cases?” It’s “where can my budget create the most impact?”
$22.5 million a month in Los Angeles advertising means your $500K budget might be invisible. That same $500K in an underserved market could establish meaningful presence.
The DMA you pick decides whether your budget buys presence or disappears.