Summer brings more accidents, more arrests, more family disputes, and more business complications—but most law firms treat it like downtime.
In our experience creating content for more than 300 law firms, our law firm content marketing team has learned that legal marketing is predictably seasonal. Smart law firms understand that the months from May through September represent the highest-opportunity period for capturing qualified leads across multiple practice areas.
While you should always be creating content targeting evergreen topics, here are some tips to align your summer content strategy with the seasonal realities of legal demand when it matters most.
Personal Injury: Summer’s Perfect Storm
Summer is personal injury season, plain and simple. The kids are out of school, people are traveling – and more accidents happen. Your content calendar should reflect this reality.
Memorial Day Through Labor Day: Peak PI Season
Motorcycle crashes spike as the weather warms up. In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicates that 60 percent of motorcyclist fatalities occur between May and September. Pool accidents multiply as backyard parties begin. Construction site injuries increase with summer building projects. Vacation-related incidents surge as families travel.
As a result, law firms should create content addressing “Summer Motorcycle Safety,” “Pool Accident Liability,” and “Vacation Injury Rights.” Target keywords like “summer motorcycle accident lawyer,” “pool injury attorney,” and “vacation accident claims.”
4th of July Injuries are Common
Independence Day weekend consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous periods of the year. Drunk driving incidents, fireworks injuries, and boating accidents all peak. Develop “Fourth of July Safety” content and “Holiday Weekend Accident Rights” pieces. Hit keywords like “July 4th DUI accident,” “fireworks injury lawyer,” and “boating accident attorney.”
Summer Recreation Put People at Risk
Amusement parks, water sports, camping accidents, and outdoor event injuries all surge during summer months. Create comprehensive guides covering “Amusement Park Injury Claims,” “Water Sport Accident Rights,” and “Outdoor Event Liability.” These pieces capture traffic from people planning summer activities before accidents happen.
Criminal Defense: When Summer Fun Goes Wrong
Summer brings parties, festivals, and increased social activity—which means more opportunities for criminal charges.
May through September is DUI Season
DUI arrests increase over the summer. Summer parties, beach trips, and outdoor festivals create a surge in DUI arrests. Beach towns see enforcement increases. Music festivals generate waves of arrests. Create “Summer DUI Defense,” “Festival Arrest Rights,” and “Beach Town DUI Help” content. Target “summer DUI charges,” “concert DUI arrest,” and “vacation DUI lawyer.”
Outdoor Event Enforcement
Music festivals, county fairs, and outdoor concerts see increased police presence and arrests for everything from drug possession to public intoxication. Create “Music Festival Legal Rights,” “Concert Arrest Defense,” and “Fair Enforcement Issues” content.
Summer Can Wreak Havoc on Child Custody Arrangements
Summer vacation schedules can easily disrupt normal family routines and create predictable legal conflicts.
Custody Modification Season
School’s out, and suddenly custody arrangements that worked during the academic year don’t fit summer reality. Parents want to modify schedules for extended vacations. Kids want to spend the whole summer with one parent. Create “Summer Custody Changes,” “Vacation Parenting Time,” and “School Break Custody Rights” content.
Relocation Disputes
Summer job opportunities, family moves, and educational program relocations all create custody complications. One parent gets a summer job in another state. Families want to relocate before the new school year. Develop “Summer Relocation Custody,” “Educational Move Rights,” and “Parent Summer Job Custody” content.
Vacation Planning Conflicts
Who takes the kids on the big family vacation? What happens when one parent plans an expensive trip the other can’t afford to match? Summer vacation planning reveals deeper custody and support issues. Target “Vacation Custody Disputes,” “Summer Travel Rights,” and “Holiday Planning Custody” content.
Estate Planning: Summer Reality Checks
Summer activities and vacation planning often trigger estate planning realizations.
Vacation Planning Wake-Up Calls
Planning family vacations makes people think about “what if” scenarios. Flying with kids raises questions about guardianship. Vacation home purchases create estate planning needs. Create “Vacation Estate Planning,” “Travel Safety Legal Planning,” and “Summer Property Legal Protection” content.
Summer Activity Risk Assessment
Boating, camping, adventure sports, and other summer activities make people aware of accident risks. This awareness translates into estate planning consultations. Develop “Summer Activity Legal Protection,” “Adventure Sport Estate Planning,” and “Outdoor Recreation Legal Preparation” content.
Family Gathering Opportunities
Summer family reunions and gatherings provide opportunities to discuss estate planning with relatives. Extended family visits create ideal timing for estate planning conversations. Target “Family Reunion Estate Planning,” “Summer Family Legal Planning,” and “Vacation Estate Planning Discussions” content.
Small Businesses often Need More Legal Help During the Summer Months
Many businesses experience seasonal changes that create legal needs during summer months.
Seasonal Business Setup
Beach vendors, festival operators, summer camps, and other seasonal businesses need legal setup help. Tourism-related businesses require compliance assistance. Create “Seasonal Business Legal Setup,” “Summer Vendor Permits,” and “Tourism Business Legal Requirements” content.
Summer Event Legal Issues
Outdoor concerts, festivals, farmers markets, and other summer events create liability concerns. Event organizers need contracts, insurance guidance, and permit help. Develop “Summer Event Legal Planning,” “Festival Liability Protection,” and “Outdoor Event Contracts” content.
Vacation Rental Complications
Summer is peak vacation rental season, bringing property disputes, neighbor complaints, and regulatory issues. Create “Vacation Rental Legal Issues,” “Summer Property Disputes,” and “Rental Property Legal Protection” content.
Summer Content Calendar Implementation
Start Early, Capture the Planning Phase
Begin your summer content push in March and April. People research legal help before they need it urgently. Your “Summer DUI Defense” content should be ranking by Memorial Day, not posted in July when arrests are already happening.
Layer Seasonal Context onto Evergreen Content
Take your existing “What to Do After a Car Accident” content and create “What to Do After a Summer Vacation Accident” with seasonal context added. This approach maximizes your content investment while capturing seasonal search traffic.
Create Content Clusters, Not One-Off Posts
Don’t just write one “Summer Safety” post. Create a comprehensive cluster: “Summer Motorcycle Safety,” “Pool Party Liability,” “Beach Vacation Accidents,” and “Summer Sports Injuries.” This approach captures more keyword variations and establishes topical authority.
Geographic Targeting for Summer Destinations
If you’re in a vacation destination, create content targeting visitors: “Tourist Legal Help in [Your City],” “[Beach/Mountain] Vacation Accident Attorney,” and “[Tourist Area] DUI Defense.” If you’re in a major metropolitan area, target residents planning summer trips: “[Your City] Residents’ Vacation Legal Rights.”
Track Performance and Double Down
Monitor which summer content performs best for your specific market and practice areas. Beach towns will see different patterns than mountain communities. Urban firms will capture different traffic than rural practices. Use actual performance data to refine your summer strategy each year.
The law firms that consistently capture the most summer leads understand this fundamental truth: summer legal marketing isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about being exactly where people are searching when summer activities create legal problems. Position your content strategically, and you’ll be there when they need you most.
Need Help Creating Content for Your Summer Marketing Campaign?
If you need help creating content for your law firms’ summer marketing campaign, contact us today. Our skilled team of professional legal writers is here to create content that resonates with your clients and gets you to the top of the search results. Contact us today to learn more.
About the Author: David Arato, JD, is a graduate of St. Louis University School of Law. Since founding Lexicon in 2012, David and his team have created thousands of pieces of content for more than 300 law firms and law firm marketing agencies throughout North America, helping them align their content strategies with seasonal legal demand patterns.
