Most Georgians might think there are too many lawyers, but anyone– especially middle or low-income– with a legal problem outside Atlanta knows better.
Not that Georgia is in short supply of lawyers. There are more than 28,200 of them actively practicing in the Peach State, according to the State Bar of Georgia. But roughly 19,500 of those lawyers — 69 percent — practice in the core metro Atlanta counties of Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett.
That leaves about 8,700 practicing lawyers sprinkled across Georgia’s remaining 154 counties. In fact, 35 of those counties have fewer than four practicing lawyers, and some have none at all.
Even if you can find a lawyer- a lawyer who handles the kind of legal problem you have- can you afford legal services?
Access to attorneys is just one factor that explains the jump, said Tim Floyd, a Mercer University law professor and member of the Georgia Civil Justice Committee, which was empaneled by the state Supreme Court to examine the civil legal needs of Georgians.
“It’s partly a matter of affording lawyers,” Floyd said. In a report released last year, the committee found 1.65 million low- and moderate-income Georgia households can’t afford an attorney.
If you assume you have access to justice, you should read the full article.
