What Is The Public Attitude Towards Lawyers

[RaBLaw]

I am trying to write an essay regarding the public attitude towards lawyers.
All the articles I can find on the subject seem only to be about the media and their influence on the way the public sees Lawyers? should i be considering anything else?

[Buenchico]

Try googling 'public perception of lawyers'

You'll find quite a few suitable references. If you particularly need one from the UK, this might help:
http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/features/from-zero-hero

Chris

[Barmaid]

Well you might want to look at how the TV portrays lawyers. Look at the popular law dramas Judge John Deed, Kavanagh QC, Injustice, Silks, Law and Order. etc

As to how the public perceive them, I couldn't possibly say - sometimes I am met with rank hostility, sometimes I am met with a client that clearly knows better, sometimes I am met with a client who really wants to listen and needs my help, sometimes I am met with a client who is so angry at the situation they take it out on everyone around them. I like to think that everyone who comes to me goes away thinking a) I have had good advice and b) she didn't cost me the earth and c) she fought bloody hard for me.

I would be interested in the result of your survey. Perhaps you could post a similar question in Chatterbank because at least there you will get "gloves off" opinions (and some funny ones).

[craft1948]

I would retain BM.............

[Eve]

I was expecting far more of an earbashing when I saw this :)

I can't add much to what Barmaid said. The term lawyer is very wide and professionals and areas of expertise vary considerably.

For example, an eminent QC verses someone who does low value "ambulance chasing" personal injury law (especially with the ability to advertise more now - the radio and TV adverts for all the "have you had an accident" lot.

[NOX]

I have only ever had one bad solicitor or Barrister, the rest have been excellent, but it is a case of horses for courses and I think it's important if you have something very complex or worse still that could land you in the nick or involves your family to choose a specialist- the person I have for business countracts would not be the same man I chose if I was up on a murder charge.
That being said there are endless jokes at lawyers expense (usually I think not because they do a bad job but sometimes earn per hour what a lot of unskilled people earn in a week).

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Consider a clipboard, a city centre and probably rain.
In all seriousness I think a survey gives you a chance to engage and get what people really think instead of them just telling you what they think you want to hear

[DaisyNonna]

They are expensive

[Barmaid]

You've clearly been going to the wrong ones Daisy! ;)

[The Builder]

Since it's just an essay, I think it's important not to go into too much detail. Certainly not anecdote (too subjective).

What about an old-fashioned "compare & contrast" approach. Think of the ways lawyers prevaricate/delay/argue minutiae for the sake of it etc etc...... and of course, charge you!

Then consider the way family lawyers help people through death/probate/disputes/family trusts/divorce/brushes with the Law etc.

That leaves the reader to mentally "fill-in" all the grey area between these two extremes without having to write a book.

[Nini74]

the only times you need a lawyer is when times a bad, or certainly stressful - getting divorced, access to children, being repossessed, being sued for breach of contract, needing to sue for breach of contract, employment disputes, criminal charges, selling or buying a home etc that's why the thought of seeing a lawyer never fills anyone with happy thoughts....