SURVEY: PHILLY LAWYERS WORK HARDER, OPEN MORE OFFICES, USE INTERNET

Philadelphia lawyers are working harder, opening more satellite offices and using the Internet more often to reach more clients and serve them better.
   That's just one of the conclusions emerging from the 2000 Survey of Philadelphia Lawyers released today by the 13,000-member Philadelphia Bar Association. The exhaustive 180-page study of the city's lawyers was conducted by Erdos & Morgan which based its results on a true random sample of Philadelphia lawyers. The results have a margin of plus or minus 3%.
   According to Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Doreen S. Davis, a partner at Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, the results show that "Philadelphia lawyers are resourceful, hardworking and industrious. They're ready to move into the hi-tech age. They're reaching out to serve their clients more conveniently and more efficiently. What's more," the Chancellor added, "they haven't forgotten their professional commitment to give back to the community." Davis noted that the number of lawyers doing pro bono work has increased by 36% since 1990 with the typical lawyer contributing 40 hours of pro bono work per year.
   Here are more of the survey highlights:
   • The typical Philadelphia lawyer works about 51 hours per week. That's up from 48 hours in 1995 and represents a continuing climb in hours worked per week.
   • More than 80% of Philadelphia lawyers are connected to the Internet at work and 63% are connected at home. Most of these lawyers regularly access the Internet several times a day and head into cyberspace to conduct legal and other research, communicate with clients and colleagues and gather information.
   • One-third of all Philadelphia lawyers are now women and that figure continues to climb. The percentage of women lawyers in Philadelphia has more than doubled since 1984 -- jumping from 15% in 1984, to 34% today. In the under-35 age group, 45% of lawyers are women.
   • The Philadelphia legal community is, increasingly, a regional and national force with Philadelphia lawyers opening additional offices in the suburbs and beyond. More than 43% of those surveyed now say they have offices in New Jersey (up from 13% in 1990); 10% have offices in Montgomery County; 9% have offices in Chester County; 13% have offices in the State of Delaware. In every one of these categories the number has increased since 1990. Among large firms, nearly 40% now have offices in New York and/or Washington.
   • The Philadelphia lawyer's median personal income from the practice of law is $93,000 per year, up 17% since 1995. The median age of a Philadelphia lawyer is 43.
   • More Philadelphia lawyers live in Philadelphia (43%). The next nearest place of residence is Montgomery County with 25%.
   • Though Philadelphia Bar Association membership is voluntary, more Philadelphia lawyers choose to belong to the Philadelphia Bar Association (74%) than any other local, state or national professional association.
   • Philadelphia lawyers rank crime and education in that order as the most important issues facing the public today.
   • Nearly a third of all Philadelphia lawyers are now partners in law firms (30%); 27% are associates and 12% are sole practitioners. Half of all Philadelphia lawyers work in firms with 25 lawyers or less. Over a quarter (26%) work in the largest firms with more than 150 lawyers.
   • Along with age, the median number of years in practice for a Philadelphia lawyer has increased: from 12.1 years in 1995 to 15 years today.
   Finally, Philadelphia lawyers seem to enjoy a fairly high level of job satisfaction. 73% say they are treated well by their partners and co-workers; 70% say their work is interesting; 63% like the atmosphere at their firm and 73% say they would recommend their current firm to a friend.
   According to Samuel H. Becker, Chair of the Association's Bar-Wide Survey Committee, "This survey tells us that Philadelphia lawyers are a vital part of this region -- working hard, opening new doors of opportunity, contributing to the local economy, involved in their communities, concerned about the major issues of the day and generally pleased with the roles they have assumed."
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