Chicago Legal Advertising 2026
Chicago's $7.3M monthly legal ad market sees Malman Law and Lerner & Rowe tied at 13-14% share. 20% streaming adoption. Here's the competitive breakdown.
Chicago is the Midwest’s largest legal advertising market and one of the more balanced we track. No single firm dominates, and the top advertisers are already embracing streaming.
The Numbers
Channel Mix:
- Television: 60%
- Streaming: 20%
- Radio: 19%
- Cable: 2%
Top 10 Advertisers:
| Rank | Firm | Monthly Spend | Share | Radio % | TV % | Streaming % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malman Law | $997,651 | 13.7% | 17% | 49% | 34% |
| 2 | Lerner & Rowe | $948,877 | 13.0% | 20% | 45% | 34% |
| 3 | Postman Law | $768,328 | 10.6% | 24% | 61% | 14% |
| 4 | Allen Law Group | $550,486 | 7.6% | 0% | 96% | 0% |
| 5 | Ankin Law | $523,491 | 7.2% | 24% | 69% | 7% |
| 6 | Horwitz Horwitz & Associates | $431,100 | 5.9% | 0% | 33% | 67% |
| 7 | Davis Law Firm | $381,589 | 5.2% | 0% | 99% | 1% |
| 8 | Consumer Law Group | $352,629 | 4.8% | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Witherite Law Group | $205,800 | 2.8% | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| 10 | Jeffery M Leving | $197,327 | 2.7% | 4% | 93% | 0% |
The top 10 control 74% of the market. Note: Horwitz Horwitz stands out at 67% streaming, the most CTV-forward firm outside the top 2.
The Leadership Battle
Malman and Lerner & Rowe are nearly tied:
- Malman Law: $998K monthly, 34% streaming
- Lerner & Rowe: $949K monthly, 34% streaming
Both have embraced the same streaming allocation (34%). They’re racing on similar strategies, which means differentiation will come from creative and targeting, not channel mix.
The Streaming Split
Chicago shows a clear divide:
Streaming adopters:
- Malman Law: 34%
- Lerner & Rowe: 34%
Traditional holdouts:
- Allen Law Group: 0% streaming
- Postman Law: 14% streaming
At 20% overall market streaming, Chicago is ahead of markets like DC (3%) but behind Atlanta (48%). The leaders are pushing the market forward.
Competitive Implications
For challengers:
- No Morgan & Morgan dominance. Top firm has only 14% share.
- Entry is possible with $300-500K monthly budgets
- Streaming adoption is growing but still has room
For existing players:
- Broadcast is crowded at 60% of spend
- Streaming is where growth is happening
- Leaders at 34% streaming are setting the pace
The Opportunity
Chicago’s fragmented leadership creates opportunity:
- No insurmountable leader, unlike LA or Texas markets
- Streaming is proven. Top 2 firms validate CTV investment.
- Traditional TV is saturated. 60% of spend chases the same inventory.
A firm entering with a streaming-first strategy could build household recognition without competing head-to-head on broadcast against established brands.