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Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Dmitry Diment Dmitry Diment New York, United States Last Updated: September 2024 NAICS OD4807

Revenue

$18.0bn

2024

$18.0bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

636k

Businesses

202k

Wages

$X.Xbn

Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry analysis

Estate lawyers and attorneys are legal practitioners that specialize in providing estate, probate, inheritance and trust law services. Over the five years to 2023, a growing senior population and overall economic growth proved beneficial to estate lawyers. The outbreak of COVID-19 also helped raise demand for industry services. As a result, revenue is estimated to have increased at a CAGR of 1.4% to $17.8 billion. In 2023, revenue is estimated to increase 1.7%. Profit, which is high in this industry, has remained stable over the past few years.As baby boomers age and eventually pass away, they will leave their estates to their beneficiaries. This shift is expected to constitute the largest generational transfer of wealth in history. The number of adults aged 65 and older has grown over the past five years, and as a result, demand for estate lawyers, attorneys and those specializing in elder law has grown. The growing senior population has also driven more estate attorneys to diversify their practices to provide elder law services. Elder law services include a wide range of legal matters that affect older people or those with disabilities, such as legal issues related to healthcare, long-term care planning, retirement, estate planning, wills, trusts, taxes and protection against elder abuse. Amid the pandemic, increased mortality has driven individuals to seek out lawyers for estate planning, estate administration, probate and power of attorney services.Revenue is anticipated to continue its growth trajectory at a CAGR of 1.2% to $18.9 billion over the five years to 2026. The industry is expected to continue to experience strong demand for services from an aging baby boomer population. Growth in per capita disposable income as the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic is also anticipated to support demand for legal services, because individuals are more likely to engage in estate planning during periods of economic growth and low unemployment. More millennials will enter peak earning years during the outlook, making them more likely to engage estate planning services.

Trends and Insights

  • The Estate Lawyers and Attorneys industry comprises attorneys who specialize in estate planning and assists clients in drafting and implementing legal documents, including wills and trusts. In the last few years, revenue has grown due to favorable changes in demographics and tax laws.
  • Operators in the industry specialize in estate planning and assist clients in drafting and implementing legal documents, including wills and trusts. Estate lawyers and attorneys also offer services in arbitrating estate, will and trust contests and settling distributive disputes between beneficiaries.
  • The geographic spread of establishments in the Estate Lawyers and Attorneys industry follows the distribution of the US population. Operators benefit from locating themselves in urban cities, as they are able to attract more clients and often higher-value cases.
  • The Estate Lawyers and Attorneys industry is highly fragmented, with the majority of operators being small firms or branches of larger firms. The top four industry operators are anticipated to account for less than 5.0% of industry revenue in 2023.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $18.0bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Revenue has grown due to favorable changes in tax laws

  • Given their expertise in the areas of property, business, contracts, probate and tax law, estate lawyers are sought out by clients to help them navigate complex laws to maximize the transfer of wealth to their beneficiaries and minimize exposure to taxation.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Multiple factors will converge to create a larger senior population

  • Over the next five years, the country's population is expected to continue aging.

Biggest companies in the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($short_0)
2024
Profit ($short_0)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Will and estate planning and drafting, Power of attorney cases and Other services . Will and estate planning and drafting is the largest segment of the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US.

Trends and Insights

Will and estate planning and drafting make up the largest service segment

  • An estate is the net worth of an individual at any point in time, whether they be alive or dead, and it includes all of the assets held by the individual at that time.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry comprises legal practitioners (i.e. lawyers or attorneys) that specialize in providing estate, probate, inheritance and trust law services.

What's included in this industry?

Drafting and implementing willsDrafting and updating estate plansAdvising estate beneficiaries

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

PROBATEBENEFICIARYESTATE TAXESTATEESTATE PLANNINGWILL

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 54111 - Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The Estate Lawyers and Attorneys industry comprises attorneys who specialize in estate planning and assists clients in drafting and implementing legal documents, including wil...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Operators in the industry specialize in estate planning and assist clients in drafting and implementing legal documents, including wills and trusts. Estate lawyers and attorn...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The geographic spread of establishments in the Estate Lawyers and Attorneys industry follows the distribution of the US population. Operators benefit from locating themselves...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The Estate Lawyers and Attorneys industry is highly fragmented, with the majority of operators being small firms or branches of larger firms. The top four industry operators ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

No single law firm leads the industry due to lack of consolidation and fragmentation of the market. The top four industry operators are anticipated to account for less than 5...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024

Detailed analysis

    External Environment

    Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

    Analyst insights

    To practice law in the industry, an individual must receive a law degree from an accredited law school and pass the bar exam in the state where the individual wishes to practi...

    In this chapter

    • External Drivers
    • Regulation & Policy
    • Assistance

    Key metrics

    • Regulation & policy level and trend
    • Assistance level and trend

    Charts

    • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
    • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

    Detailed analysis

    • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
    • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
    • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

    Financial Benchmarks

    View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

    Analyst insights

    The cost structure for the Estate Lawyers and Attorneys industry does not differ significantly from the Law Firms industry. Cost structures vary based on the size and special...

    In this chapter

    • Cost Structure
    • Financial Ratios
    • Key Ratios

    Key metrics

    • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
    • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
    • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
    • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

    Charts

    • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Investment vs. share of economy

    Data tables

    • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
    • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
    • Income Statement (2017-2022)
    • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
    • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
    • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Average Wage (2014-2029)
    • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
    • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

    Detailed analysis

    • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

    Key Statistics

    Industry Data

    Data Tables

    Including values and annual change:

    • Revenue (2014-2029)
    • IVA (2014-2029)
    • Establishments (2014-2029)
    • Enterprises (2014-2029)
    • Employment (2014-2029)
    • Exports (2014-2029)
    • Imports (2014-2029)
    • Wages (2014-2029)

    Top Questions Answered

    Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

    What is the market size of the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States in 2024?

    The market size of the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States is $18.0bn in 2024.

    How many businesses are there in the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in 2024?

    There are 202k businesses in the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

    Has the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

    The market size of the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 0.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

    What is the forecast growth of the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

    Over the next five years, the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

    What does the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US in United States include?

    Drafting and implementing wills and Drafting and updating estate plans are part of the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry.

    How competitive is the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States?

    The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Estate Lawyers & Attorneys in the US industry in United States.

    Related Industries

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    Competitors

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    Complementors

    • There are no industries to display.

    View all industries in United States

    Methodology

    How are IBISWorld reports created?

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    Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

    IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

    What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

    Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

    Key data sources in the US include: 

    • US Census Bureau
    • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
    • US International Trade Commission

    Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

    These sources include:

    • Industry and trade associations
    • Industry federations or regulators
    • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

    Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

    How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

    IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

    IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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