Ever since workers’ compensation became mainstream by 1948, when all US states adopted the system, the flow of personal injury cases had also started to fluctuate.  Even more, a landmark personal injury case from 1928, Donoghue v. Stevenson, had also brought in more negligent cases. It set a precedent, welcoming those who were harmed by defective products to seek legal representation.

So it’s’ no surprise that by the mid-20th century, NYC personal injury law firms were experiencing robust business with negligent and defective product claims. In the mid 70’s, however, surveys revealed that not all Americans were taking advantage of the legal representation that was available to them. Furthermore, studies revealed that middle-class and blue-collar Americans were less likely to seek legal advice than wealthier individuals, fearing the financial clauses that came with lawsuits, or so they thought. Most working Americans only sought an attorney two to three times in their lifetimes, referencing a study done by the American Bar Association. The middle classes were also only seeing lawyers for less than a third of all possible issues where they had the opportunity to have legal counsel.

This was no coincidental mistake. It’s important to remember that during this time, many regulations from the previous century were still upheld, including strong limits on legal advertising. Wealthier individuals and socialites had the connections to know a personal injury lawyer NYC when they needed one, while most of the country had not the means. Apart from business cards and word of mouth, the only other form of advertising attorneys could still try was the phonebook, sharing their tiny print name among thousands of other (mostly irrelevant) business owners. This lack of information divided the economical classes and prevented more injured Americans from seeking justice. It wasn’t until a disruptive law firm by the name of Jacoby and Meyers would forever change the playing field.