| TYPES OF LAWYERS
Q. Do lawyers normally work alone or do most of them work for
companies or the
government?
A. About two thirds of all lawyers are in private practice; many
others work for corporations
or the government. Firms of various sizes employ lawyers in private practice.
Almost half of
the lawyers in private practice are sole practitioners who work alone.
Others join with one or
more lawyers in partnerships. As the table shows, about a quarter of lawyers
are in
partnerships that have ten lawyers or fewer.
Private Practitioners (1995)
Total practitioners: 634,475
Population/practitioner ratio: 410/1
Practitioners by Practice Setting and
Sex
Males Females Both Sexes
No. % No. % No. %
Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . .
225,584 45.9 72,139 50.3 297,724 46.9
2 lawyer firm . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
30,369 6.2 5,557 3.9 35,926 5.7
3 lawyer firm . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
21,706 4.4 3,775 2.6 25,480 4.0
4 lawyer firm . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
15,731 3.2 3,239 2.3 18,970 3.0
5 lawyer firm . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
12,270 2.5 2,616 1.8 14,887 2.3
6-10 lawyer firm . . . . . . . .
. . . .
37,720 7.7 9,242 6.4 46,962 7.4
11-20 lawyer firm . . . . . . .
. . . .
34,249 7.0 9,007 6.3 43,256 6.8
21-50 lawyer firm . . . . . . .
. . . .
35,522 7.2 10,431 7.3 45,954 7.2
51-100 lawyer firm . . . . . .
. . . .
21,928 4.5 6,895 4.8 28,823 4.5
101 or more lawyer firm . .
. . . .
55,860 11.4 20,633 14.4 76,493 12.1
Total 490,940 100.0 143,535 100.0 634,475 100.0
Source:
The Lawyer Statistical Report: The U.S. Legal Population in 1995 (Chicago:
American Bar
Foundation, 1999)
Q. How are lawyers split between rural and metropolitan areas?
A. 88 percent of American lawyers work in metropolitan areas,
and about one third of all
lawyers work in large cities. Especially in rural areas and small cities,
there are many general
practitioners who, by themselves or with the help of other lawyers, handle
most types of
cases. However, the family lawyer/general practice lawyer is becoming
harder to find.
Q. On what areas of practice do lawyers normally concentrate?
A. Most lawyers concentrate on one or a few specific areas, such
as: domestic relations,
criminal law, personal injury, estate planning and administration, real
estate, taxation,
immigration, and intellectual property law (see chart).
Areas of Legal Practice
Business Law Advising about starting a new business (corporation,
partnership, etc.), general corporate matters, business
taxation, and mergers and acquisitions
Criminal Law Defending or prosecuting those accused of committing a
crimes
Domestic Relations Representing individuals in separation, annulment,
divorce, and child custody matters
Estate Planning Advising clients in property management, drawing wills,
probate, and estate planning
Immigration Representing parties in proceedings involving
naturalization and citizenship
Intellectual Dealing with issues concerning
Property Law trademarks, copyright regulations, and patents
Labor Law Advising and representing employers, unions and
employees on questions of union organizing, workplace
safety, and compliance with government regulations
Personal Injury Representing clients injured intentionally or negligently,
and those with workers' compensation claims
Real Estate Assisting clients in developing property; re-zoning; and
buying, selling, or renting homes or other property
Taxation Counseling businesss and individuals in local, state, and
federal tax matters
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