With the increasing feminization of the legal profession in the United States over the last half century, past research has documented the prevalence and transformation of gender inequality in law firms. However, relatively little is known about gender inequality in small, conservative legal markets like Utah. This thesis examines data from the 2008-2009 Utah Attorney Advancement and Retention Survey. The analyses indicate that relative to their male colleagues, women earned less in 2007 and are less likely to procure higher quality job assignments than their peers. The most promising explanations for these disparities include employment sector, gender and motherhood statuses, and year of bar admittance. Contrary to the results of past work, analyses find little or no effect for several traditional predictors of gender gaps including marital status, mentoring, tokenism, firm size, and hours billed. Open-ended responses reveal that while overt discrimination exists to some degree in Utah firms, most inequitable treatment has taken on subtle forms such as exclusion from the "good old boys" network, perpetuation of traditional gender roles and stereotypes, and differential opportunity paths and structures.

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The present study was designed to investigate possible gender differences regarding age-work value relationship, age-work reward relationship, age-work satisfaction relationship, and determinants of work satisfaction. Another objective of this study was to examine the hypothesis that age has an indirect positive effect on work satisfaction through its relationship to work values and work rewards. Data utilized, the National Survey of Lawyers' Career Satisfaction, 1984, were originally collected by Hirsch. Only respondents in the mail survey were included in this study. After deducting non-white respondents and those who were retired, unemployed, or holding non-legal position, 1152 male lawyers and 234 female lawyers were left in the sample. The main finding was that gender does act as a moderator in the age-work value relationship, the age-work reward relationship, and the determinants of work satisfaction. More specifically, in the male group, older individuals were found to attach more importance to intrinsic work values, hold higher positions, and earn greater incomes than their younger counterparts. In addition, predictors of work satisfaction for the male lawyers were indicated to be income, age, work values, and position. In contrast, in the female group, age differences in work values or work positions were not found. However, older individuals do earn greater incomes than their younger counterpart. Work values seem to be the only predictor of work satisfaction for females. Overall, the results did not support the hypothesis that age's positive relationship with work satisfaction is mediated by work values and work rewards. Plausible explanations were proffered. Finally, implications for academic research on age-work satisfaction relationship were also discussed. / Master of Science

This dissertation examines the relationship between the situational context of a decision, the amount of information, attributed source of the information and perceived risk in a professional service setting. Perceived risk theory, the dichotomy of goods and services, and factors unique to professional services are discussed relevant to consumer choice. Hypotheses stemming from the literature are offered relating to the perception of performance and social risk, and intent to retain to the amount of information, the attributed source of the information and situational context of the choice. The research was conducted in three phases. Phase one consisted of the development and testing of risk situations and also the construction of the information treatments. Phase two consisted of a pretest to measure the reliability of the test instrument used in phase three. The third phase consisted of two 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design experiments. One experiment used performance risk situation as an independent variable, the other a social risk situation. Both situations were at two levels, high and low risk. The remaining independent variables in both experiments were: the amount of information, at two levels, high and low; and attributed source of the information, either personal sources or advertising. Multiple dependent variables measured three constructs; perceived performance risk; perceived social risk; and intent to retain. Reliability was assessed using (1) correlation analysis; (2) Cronbach's alpha; and (3) factor analysis. Statistical techniques used to analyze the data were (1) multivariate analysis of variance; (2) univariate analysis of variance; and (3) multivariate tests of simple effects. In general, the data analysis resulted in mixed support for the hypothesized effects. While partial support was gained for the effect of information source and amount of information on perceived risk involved in a professional service selection, it also indicated that the effects may be situation specific; and in most cases the effects are not independent but rather interact. Results of the dissertation are discussed with respect to major findings and significance to the area of professional service marketing. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the limitations of the study areas for future research. / Ph. D.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Information Studies)) --University of Limpopo, 2009 / This research report serves as an empirical investigation into the utilization of information technology to support information and knowledge management in law firms, as well as an attempt to design an information and knowledge management model for law firms. Members of the legal profession attached to law firms in the Polokwane City were investigated to find out how optimally they utilize information and communication technologies to support information and knowledge management in their daily operations. The research indicated that there are several ways in which information technology could be used to support the creation, organization, and transfer of information and knowledge in law firms, for the benefit of both lawyers and their clients . In order to provide for an empirical basis for this research, a survey research method, through the use of the questionnaires and interviews, was conducted, followed by a detailed content analysis of law firm websites. An in-depth literature review on the utilization of information technology to support information and knowledge management in law firms was also carried out to determine the findings of other studies that have been conducted elsewhere on the current topic. The results of this research showed that lawyers attached to law firms in the city of Polokwane appear to be non-users of information technology in as far as information and knowledge management is concerned. Most of the members of the law firms in the city seem to be utilizing information technology for basic purposes such as word processing, legal research, client billing, and communication through the e-mail. Other information and knowledge management tools, such as intranets, extranets and web portals, appear not to be utilized by most of the law firms in the city. Based on the findings of this research project, an information and knowledge network model, in a form of Wireless Local Area Network for the law firms in the Polokwane City, is proposed. This network could be utilized by law firms operating in the city to deposit, organize, retrieve, and share information and knowledge collaboratively through the use of information technology. Factors that should be taken into consideration in attempting to implement the proposed model are also discussed. At the end of the research report, some recommendations on encouraging lawyers to utilize information technology optimally are provided, together with recommendations for future research.

Cette thèse porte sur l’étude d’un groupe socio-professionnel, les avocats, et leurs pratiques professionnelles de la communication et leurs usages des médias en France de 1945 à nos jours. Longtemps situé hors de la sphère marchande, on assiste au développement d’un marché du droit mondialisé, complexe et concurrentiel qui bouleverse l'exercice de la profession d'avocat. Ce changement du biotope a rendu la communication indispensable. La profession a pris acte de cette nécessité et a assoupli progressivement ses règles déontologiques en ce sens. La pratique ordinaire de communication des avocats reste déficitaire. Nous privilégierons d’abord, une approche générale, la communication de l’instance représentative de la profession, le Conseil national des barreaux, agissant comme source mandatée dans l’arène médiatique. Nous analyserons les stratégies mobilisées dans le cadre de cette communication institutionnelle pour promouvoir, influencer la représentation médiatique de la profession et élargir son périmètre d’action. Néanmoins, à côté de cette pratique ordinaire de communication déficitaire, deux typologies d’acteurs que constitue cette profession réglementée font exception. Nous explorerons la communication et l’utilisation des médias par les cabinets d’avocats d’affaires et les pénalistes ténors du barreau. Nous nous intéresserons aux procédés utilisés, aux stratégies et pratiques médiatiques mises en oeuvre et aux objectifs poursuivis. / This thesis focuses on a socio-professional entity (lawyers) and their professional practice of communication and use of the media in France from 1945 until the present. The law stayed during a long period outside the market sphere. But recently a new market (of the law) has emerged: this market is worldwide, complex and very competitive. The legal profession has been impacted deeply by this recent development, which has rendered communications necessary. The legal profession is aware of this change and has progressively softened the ethical rules in this regard. To start, we will focus on the representative authority of the profession, the National Council of Bar, which acts as a mandatory source in the media. We will notably analyse the strategies used within the framework of this institution’s communications in order to promote, to influence the representation of the profession in the media and to enhance the perimeter of action of this institution. While lawyers’ ordinary use of communications remains minimal, there are two exceptions in the legal profession: corporate law firms and high-profile lawyers involved in criminal cases. We will study these two categories of actors: their manner of using communications and their use of the media, and we will describe the processes, the strategies, and behaviours toward the media, as well as the objectives targeted.

The problem of this study was an investigation of the functions of school attorneys in selected Texas public schools and the methods by which they were selected, as perceived by the school superintendents. The purposes of this study were to determine the extent to which Texas public school districts utilized school attorneys, the procedures used by school districts in employing school attorneys, the functions of school attorneys, and the ideal relationship between the school attorney and the school district.

Zhang Yanan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-95). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgement / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Literature Review --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Methodology --- p.26 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Introduction of the Beijing Municipal Lawyers' Association (BMLA) and its Professional Supervisory Agency: the Beijing Municipal Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Power BMLA enjoys in Professional Education and Training --- p.36 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Power BMLA enjoys in Community Code-making and Culture Building --- p.50 / Chapter Chapter Seven --- Power BMLA enjoys in Participating in Social Activities --- p.63 / Chapter Chapter Eight --- Power BMLA enjoys in Professional Autonomy --- p.77 / Chapter Chapter Nine --- Conclusion --- p.83 / References --- p.92 / Appendix

A group of 188 undergraduate students at the University of Arizona read three vignettes depicting a lawyer's performance at trial. The types of cases presented at trial were rape, sex discrimination, family law (divorce and child support), murder, narcotics, contracts, paternity, prostitution, and insanity. Some of the subjects read a case presented by lawyer John McKay, while others read the same case presented by lawyer Joan McKay. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed no significant differences in the perceived effectiveness and credibility of the trial lawyers, with male and female attorneys rated equally competent. The results were most encouraging for women entering the profession of law, and showed that bright undergraduate college freshmen now perceive women attorneys without sexism and with credibility.

The anecdotal literature suggests that the process of legal education impairs the maintenance of emotional well being in law students. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a cross-sequential research design to determine the effects of the law school process. Data was collected, using four standardized self-report instruments (Brief Symptom Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist, and Hassle Scale), on subjects prior to and during law school, and after graduation. Prior to law school, subjects expressed similar psychopathological symptom responses as compared with the normal population. Yet during law school and after graduation symptom levels were significantly elevated. The implications of these results are presented.