It is often said that America has too many lawyers, but if true wouldn’t this really indicate that we have too many laws? I think it was either Cicero or Marx (Groucho) who said “The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the republic.” Thus it is striking to see in the chart below, from the American Bar Association, that the growth of lawyers in the U.S. accelerates starting around 1970, which is coincidentally when the modern administrative state shifted into high gear and rapid growth.

And here are lawyers by state, in case any state Fish and Game Departments decide to have an open season: