Time: Wed Mar 26 09:14:49 1997 by primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id UAA01823; Wed, 26 Mar 1997 20:32:07 -0700 (MST) by usr04.primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id UAA06764; Wed, 26 Mar 1997 20:31:48 -0700 (MST) Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 09:06:29 -0800 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar] Subject: SLS: L&J: Lawyer Poll (fwd) <snip> > >Don't Go In The Water >Nolo Poll Results: >How Was Your Swim With the Sharks? > >Compiled by Peri H. Pakroo > >The verdict is in: By majority vote, Nolo News readers have condemned >the legal profession, declaring it to be infested with inept and >unethical sharks. On questions of competence, communication and fees, >the overwhelming majority of respondents found lawyers to be sorely >lacking. Some of the punishments suggested were perhaps a bit harsh >(one called for shooting his lawyer in the town square), but were quite >reflective of most respondents' anger and frustration at their >experiences. > >What made everyone so made at their lawyers? Here are some statitics. > >When asked to describe their lawyers' services, a majority of readers >described them as poor. > > >How would you describe your lawyer's services? > >extremely competent 15% >competent 15% >adequate 12% >poor 58% > >Most people thought that their lawyers didn't communicate well, and >didn't seem to care about their clients' questions and concerns. > >How well did your lawyer keep you informed about the case's progress? > >very well (updated often) 17% >fairly well 26% >not well (hard to get info) 44% >never 13% > >How well did your lawyer respond to your questions and concerns? > >very well 30% >so-so 26% >poorly 44% > >In the end, just over half of the fols we heard from were extremely >dissatisfied about the outcomes of their cases -- but only 4% actually >sued for malpractice. > >How did you feel about the outcome? > >highly satisfied 14% >satisfied 20% >dissatisfied 14% >extremely dissatisfied 52% > >How did the lawyer calculate your legal fees? > >hourly rate 53% >contingency fee 12% >flat fee 23% >other 12% > >Many people seem to feel that they won their cases in spite of their >attorneys. For instance, many who thought their fees were unfair or >that their lawyers were incompetent were still satisfied or highly >satisfied with the outcomes of their cases. But the vast majority of >respondents would not recommend their lawyers to family or friends. > >Would you recommend this lawyer to a friend? > >yes 28% >no 72% > >Complaints about Lawyer > >When it came to particular complaints about your lawyers, people had >plenty. Here are some of the most notable: > >"He never returned phone calls and fired his excellent secretary because >she was not fashionable enough to suit the image he has of himself." > >"While he was supposed to be representing me, he offered his services >and was hired by opposing counsel." > >"Male chauvinist -- laughed at my predictament." > >"A crook and a liar." > >"Gutless!" > >"Two years after my divorce I learned my ex-spouse and lawyer dated >during proceedings." > >"He urged me to lie on a deposition." > >"Big superiority complex." > >Best Thing About Lawyer > >"Knowledgable, patient, and understanding." > >"He showed up in court when scheduled." > >"Excellent actor, liar, and traitor." > >"His slime did not stick to us." > >"His car." > >"She was straightforward and competent." > >"Billed me promptly." > >"He explained everything in detail." > >"He was a shark, which I needed." > >"Sounds good on the phone." > >"Nice suits!" > > > >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= >Unsub info - send e-mail to majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com, with >"unsubscribe liberty-and-justice" in the body (not the subject) >Liberty-and-Justice list-owner is Mike Goldman <whig@pobox.com> > > ======================================================================== Paul Andrew, Mitchell, B.A., M.S. : Counselor at Law, federal witness email: [address in tool bar] : Eudora Pro 3.0.1 on Intel 586 CPU web site: http://www.supremelaw.com : library & law school registration ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech, at its best Tucson, Arizona state : state zone, not the federal zone Postal Zone 85719/tdc : USPS delays first class w/o this ========================================================================
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