LAWYERS AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION
A Columbia Law Survey
April 2002

 -Introduction

 -Technical Information

 -CARAVAN Telephone Sampling Methodology

 -Reliability of Survey Percentages

 -Sampling Tolerances When Comparing Two Samples

 -Introduction to Detailed Tabulations

 -Significance Testing

 -Detailed Tabulations (requires Adobe Acrobat)

 -Questionnaire

QUESTIONNAIRE

I’d like to ask you a few questions about lawyers and the legal profession . . .

L1        As I read the following professions, please tell me your impression of each.  Would you say that overall people in that profession are especially honest, somewhat honest, about average, somewhat dishonest or especially dishonest?  (READ AND ROTATE PROFESSIONS) 

 1         Especially honest
2          Somewhat honest
3          About average
4          Somewhat dishonest
5          Especially dishonest
99        DON’T KNOW

A.        Lawyers
B.        Politicians
C.        Policemen

L2        Now thinking only of lawyers, have you used the services of a lawyer within the past 12 months?

1                      YES
2                      NO
99                   DON’T KNOW

 L3        Do you believe that lawyers do more harm than good by filing lawsuits that may raise the cost of doing business, or do they perform a beneficial role by holding big companies accountable to the law?

                       1                      MORE HARM THAN GOOD
                       2                      A BENEFICIAL ROLE
                     99                     DON’T KNOW

L4        Given the level of compensation of other professions in society, such as doctors or corporate executives, overall, do you believe most lawyers are overpaid, fairly compensated, or underpaid for the work they do?

1                     OVERPAID
2                     FAIRLY COMPENSATED
3                     UNDERPAID
99                 DON’T KNOW

L5        Please tell me if you agree or disagree with the following statement:  “Even though I sometimes disagree with or dislike the rulings of the United States Supreme Court in particular cases, the fact that the Supreme Court can strike down unconstitutional laws is a good feature of the American system of government.”

1                     AGREE
2                     DISAGREE
99                  DON’T KNOW

Back to top