Tinder Box
"Important Issues"
Once again, I wish to say thank you to 1,649 State Bar members who took the time last fall to complete the State Bar’s Membership Survey.
The overwhelming response from the membership - more than 41% - was a clear indication of the interest and support that these lawyers gave to this high priority endeavor. The polling company that tabulated the results - Ryan McGinn Samples Research - was deeply impressed with the commitment of our members to complete the rather long survey form. By the way, there were an additional number of more than 110 Surveys that were received after the deadline date and were not able to be included in the final results.
Previously, the Executive Summary and some general and financial statistics have been placed in The West Virginia Lawyer. At this time, I want to give you the results of certain questions that asked for responses on particular issues of importance to the legal profession in our state. The 1999 figures will be compared with the results from the previous Membership Survey which was done in 1994.
*Do you think the Lawyer Disciplinary System is:
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Too lenient | 17% | 16% |
| Too severe | 16% | 18% |
| Just Right | 30% | 59% |
| Don't Know | 33% | na |
| No Answer | 3% | 8% |
*How would you rate the overall quality of the Lawyer Disciplinary System?
<
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Excellent | 6% | 5% |
| Good | 42% | 53% |
| Fair | 28% | 30% |
| Poor | 9% | 8% |
| Dk/No Answer | 15% | 5% |
*Do you support continued discipline self-regulation by the State Bar?
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Yes | 86% | 93% |
| No | 9% | 5% |
| Dk/Na | 5% | 2% |
*Do you believe that the Bar should conduct random audits of trust accounts managed by lawyers?
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Yes | 45% | 45% |
| No | 50% | 52% |
| Dk/Na | 5% | 3% |
*Do you believe the authorized practice of law by non-lawyers is an increasing problem in West Virginia?
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Yes | 54% | 62% |
| No | 39% | 35% |
| Dk/Na | 7% | 3% |
*Do you believe that there should be a separate family court set up by an amendment to the State Constitution?
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Yes | 53% | 70% |
| No | 34% | 27% |
| Dk/Na | 13% | 3% |
*Do you believe that there should be an Intermediate Appellate Court in West Virginia?
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Yes | 41% | 56% |
| No | 53% | 42% |
| Dk/Na | 6% | 2% |
*Do you feel that the present system of judicial selection should be changed?
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Yes | 57% | 59% |
| No | 36% | 40% |
| Dk/Na | 6% | 2% |
*If yes, which system would you support?
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Merit Selection | 72% | 70% |
| Selection by Legislature | 2% | 3% |
| Gubernatorial Appointment | 9% | 14% |
| Other | 14% | 11% |
| Dk/Na | 2% | 2% |
*Currently every State Bar member is required to have 24 hours of Mandatory CLE in a 2 year period. Is this requirement:
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Too much | 15% | 13% |
| About Right | 79% | 82% |
| Too Lenient/Should Be increased | 5% | 4% |
| Dk/Na | 1% | 1% |
*Currently the State Bar membership dues range from ($35-$175 in 1993) $50-$195 per year. Are these amount:
| 1994 | 1999 | |
| Too Much | 24% | 17% |
| About Right | 70% | 79% |
| Too Lenient/Should be Increased | 3% | 3% |
| Dk/Na | 3% | 1% |
Don’t forget, you can review the Membership Survey in its entirety by going to the State Bar’s homepage - www.wvbar.org - and getting all of the details. We will continue to highlight the Survey results in future issues of The West Virginia Lawyer.