Minnesota State Bar Association

E-Poll

The Image of Lawyers

How's the public image of attorneys? Here's what our readers say.*

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41% Agree
59% Disagree
1. The public views lawyers negatively primarily because of the public's lack of understanding of the legal system.

Comments:

A primary misunderstanding commonly held is that attorneys either control or manipulate the legal system to serve their own ends.

I think the public views lawyers negatively because they are poorly portrayed by the media and on television as money grubbing and dishonest.

51% Agree
44% Disagree
5% Unsure 2. The image of lawyers is likely to suffer from the spread of multidisciplinary practice organizations.

41% Agree
59% Disagree
3. The public's unfavorable view of lawyers is based on the misbehavior of a few miscreants.

Comments:

Not exclusively, although the press and word of mouth fixate upon individual misdeeds.

This may contribute to the problem, but I'd say that to the extent the public has a negative view, it's due to lack of understaning of the legal system and history.

It is difficult to fly like an eagle when surrounded by too many turkeys.

It is more than a few who contribute to the negative images. I believe lack of higher ethical standards (many lawyers are no better than the general public) and advertising messages by the plaintiffs' contribute significantly to the problem. Lawyers now are perceived as more interested in the dollar than public service; this was not always the case.

Lawyers with large egos also cause a negative perception.

Baseless claims for damages is a major image problem for lawyers. Many people feel cases are brought when no reasonable person would even consider such an action as being compensable.

41% Agree
59% Disagree
4. Given the basic adversarial nature of the legal system, lawyers should expect to have a negative public image.

Comments:

This is true, to a great extent.

Civil actions: while attorneys may not present perjured testimony, ethical commitment is to the client not to truth or justice. Add a little greed from client or attorney, and we deserve the low level of regard we now have.

Lawyers have been "co-opted" by their clients to focus not on the law as a tool to administer justice, but rather as a method of going to war without bloodshed.

76% Agree
24% Disagree
5. All lawyers share responsibility for the way the public views the legal profession.

Comments:

Lawyers have a bad image because: 1) Greed. They make too much money. Clients think most lawyers have money, and not them, as a first priority. 2) Dishonesty. Lawyers are looked on as fact-twisters not fact finders. Those that have been deposed remember the first thing we were told: Don't volunteer anything. 3) Litigious. We have become a litigious society. When in doubt, sue. Lawyers are perceived as the chief culprit and they are.

73% Agree
27% Disagree
6. Lawyers should worry less about their public image and more about their public responsibilities.

Comments:

Maintaining a favorable public image should be a part of an attorney's responsibilities to the bar in order to better serve the public.

Exactly. We should worry about serving inviduals and society well, in our roles as advocates, rather than indulge in vanity or worry excessively about our "public imiage."

More business. Less lawyering.

76% Agree
24% Disagree
7. Public resentment of lawyers' fees and income accounts for a significant part of lawyers' negative public image.

Comments:

Particularly where fees are seen as excessive by dissatisfied clients.

The general public perceives -- accurately -- that lawyers' number one concern is enhancing and safeguarding our income stream. This factor leads them to conclude that we are selfish.

Every time I see a bill from a big firm, I cringe.

44% Agree
56% Disagree

8. Negative media coverage of lawyers is a leading cause of the public's negative perception of lawyers.

Comments:

There is an adage in news coverage: "If it bleeds, it leads." Tales of dastardly deeds by attorneys help sell copy, and reinforce an unfavorable public view of attorneys. In contrast, how much press coverage is given to honorable or decent acts by individual attorneys(outside of legal publications)?

This is one reason. Much negative media coverage comes from public relations firms hired by insurance companies to disparage trial lawyers and their clients. Another cause of negative perception is media distortion and misunderstanding of criminal cases, and criminal lawyers.

It may not be a cause, as the media has no inherent bias against lawyers, but television (excluding television news) in particular amplifies the problem exponentially.

The fact that irresponsible lawyers are so anxious to express openly their client's case with the news media is extremely damaging to the profession!

39% Agree
58% Disagree
3% Unsure
9. The involvement of more people with the legal system over time is likely to improve the image of lawyers.

Comments:

Such involvement would improve the image of the bar as a whole (but not necessarily individual attorneys).

Due to the continuing trend of criminalizing ever wider ranges of conduct, and curtailment of individual rights, more and more people are becoming casualties of the criminal justice system, and over time this will engender contempt for the legal system.

I don't think the more the better applies in this case. If there are more lawyers, I think there is a better chance for more miscreants.

Lawyers can improve their image by focusing on meeting the needs of their clients, and showing a dedication to client satisfaction.

44% Agree
53% Disagree
3% Unsure
10. Lawyers' image could be improved by a concerted public relations campaign.

Comments:

That may make it worse. The bad ones need to be weeded out in law school or through the bar exam.

Media advertising has forever destroyed the profession. We fall into the same category that chiropractors do. Frankly I can't tell the difference between the two groups based on the TV ads. And ads are what the public sees the most.

Personal injury attorneys and their tacky advertisements contribute to negative views as does perception of performing too little work for too little money.

The single biggest negative is lawyer advertising!

The public has lost respect for lawyers in direct proportion to the number of cheesy television ads that are aired.

This poll appeared in the April 2000 print and online versions of Bench & Bar. Results were tallied June 5, 2000.

	41% Agree 59% Disagree	1. The public views lawyers negatively primarily because of the public's lack of understanding of the legal system. Comments: A primary misunderstanding commonly held is that attorneys either control or manipulate the legal system to serve their own ends. I think the public views lawyers negatively because they are poorly portrayed by the media and on television as money grubbing and dishonest.

	51% Agree 44% Disagree 5% Unsure	2. The image of lawyers is likely to suffer from the spread of multidisciplinary practice organizations.

	41% Agree 59% Disagree	3. The public's unfavorable view of lawyers is based on the misbehavior of a few miscreants. Comments: Not exclusively, although the press and word of mouth fixate upon individual misdeeds. This may contribute to the problem, but I'd say that to the extent the public has a negative view, it's due to lack of understaning of the legal system and history. It is difficult to fly like an eagle when surrounded by too many turkeys. It is more than a few who contribute to the negative images. I believe lack of higher ethical standards (many lawyers are no better than the general public) and advertising messages by the plaintiffs' contribute significantly to the problem. Lawyers now are perceived as more interested in the dollar than public service; this was not always the case. Lawyers with large egos also cause a negative perception. Baseless claims for damages is a major image problem for lawyers. Many people feel cases are brought when no reasonable person would even consider such an action as being compensable.

	41% Agree 59% Disagree	4. Given the basic adversarial nature of the legal system, lawyers should expect to have a negative public image. Comments: This is true, to a great extent. Civil actions: while attorneys may not present perjured testimony, ethical commitment is to the client not to truth or justice. Add a little greed from client or attorney, and we deserve the low level of regard we now have. Lawyers have been "co-opted" by their clients to focus not on the law as a tool to administer justice, but rather as a method of going to war without bloodshed.

	76% Agree 24% Disagree	5. All lawyers share responsibility for the way the public views the legal profession. Comments: Lawyers have a bad image because: 1) Greed. They make too much money. Clients think most lawyers have money, and not them, as a first priority. 2) Dishonesty. Lawyers are looked on as fact-twisters not fact finders. Those that have been deposed remember the first thing we were told: Don't volunteer anything. 3) Litigious. We have become a litigious society. When in doubt, sue. Lawyers are perceived as the chief culprit and they are.

	73% Agree 27% Disagree	6. Lawyers should worry less about their public image and more about their public responsibilities. Comments: Maintaining a favorable public image should be a part of an attorney's responsibilities to the bar in order to better serve the public. Exactly. We should worry about serving inviduals and society well, in our roles as advocates, rather than indulge in vanity or worry excessively about our "public imiage." More business. Less lawyering.

	76% Agree 24% Disagree	7. Public resentment of lawyers' fees and income accounts for a significant part of lawyers' negative public image. Comments: Particularly where fees are seen as excessive by dissatisfied clients. The general public perceives -- accurately -- that lawyers' number one concern is enhancing and safeguarding our income stream. This factor leads them to conclude that we are selfish. Every time I see a bill from a big firm, I cringe.

	44% Agree 56% Disagree	8. Negative media coverage of lawyers is a leading cause of the public's negative perception of lawyers. Comments: There is an adage in news coverage: "If it bleeds, it leads." Tales of dastardly deeds by attorneys help sell copy, and reinforce an unfavorable public view of attorneys. In contrast, how much press coverage is given to honorable or decent acts by individual attorneys(outside of legal publications)? This is one reason. Much negative media coverage comes from public relations firms hired by insurance companies to disparage trial lawyers and their clients. Another cause of negative perception is media distortion and misunderstanding of criminal cases, and criminal lawyers. It may not be a cause, as the media has no inherent bias against lawyers, but television (excluding television news) in particular amplifies the problem exponentially. The fact that irresponsible lawyers are so anxious to express openly their client's case with the news media is extremely damaging to the profession!

	39% Agree 58% Disagree 3% Unsure	9. The involvement of more people with the legal system over time is likely to improve the image of lawyers. Comments: Such involvement would improve the image of the bar as a whole (but not necessarily individual attorneys). Due to the continuing trend of criminalizing ever wider ranges of conduct, and curtailment of individual rights, more and more people are becoming casualties of the criminal justice system, and over time this will engender contempt for the legal system. I don't think the more the better applies in this case. If there are more lawyers, I think there is a better chance for more miscreants. Lawyers can improve their image by focusing on meeting the needs of their clients, and showing a dedication to client satisfaction.

	44% Agree 53% Disagree 3% Unsure	10. Lawyers' image could be improved by a concerted public relations campaign. Comments: That may make it worse. The bad ones need to be weeded out in law school or through the bar exam. Media advertising has forever destroyed the profession. We fall into the same category that chiropractors do. Frankly I can't tell the difference between the two groups based on the TV ads. And ads are what the public sees the most. Personal injury attorneys and their tacky advertisements contribute to negative views as does perception of performing too little work for too little money. The single biggest negative is lawyer advertising! The public has lost respect for lawyers in direct proportion to the number of cheesy television ads that are aired.