Clients' Evaluations of Lawyers: Predictions from Procedural Justice Ratings and Interactional Styles of Lawyers

• Main Author: Herrin, Judith Mitchell
• Other Authors: Sociology
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: Virginia Tech 2014
• Subjects: clients; social Power; Lawyers; Procedural Justice; social Psychology; LD5655.V856 1996.H479
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/37221; http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-01292008-112254/

In evaluating clientsâ satisfaction with their lawyers, some research indicates that clients consider the interpersonal aspect of the lawyer-client relationship just as important as the legal competence of the lawyer. The purpose of this study is to assess factors hypothesized to be involved in clients* evaluations of lawyers and the legal system. These factors are ratings of procedural justice, perceptions of lawyers interactional styles and types of social power, and clientsf demographic and legal case characteristics. Data for the quantitative analysis in this study comes from a national telephone survey of legal clients. In addition, qualitative data from responses to an open-ended question in the telephone survey and focus groups of legal clients in divorce cases are analyzed. The results of the multiple regression and path analyses reveal that lawyers’ interactional orientation (combinations of social power and adoption of occupational role) nave the greatest effect on ratings of procedural justice. Ratings of procedural justice and lawyers’ interactional orientation have the greatest effect on satisfaction with lawyers. Smaller effects come from the outcome and the type of legal case. Satisfaction with the attorney has a greater effect on satisfaction with the courts for women than it does for men. Ratings of procedural justice and lawyer’s interactional styles have a large effect on satisfaction with the courts for both men and women. Comments by the survey respondents and the focus group participants support previous research that the major sources of dissatisfaction with lawyers are fees, discourtesy, and delays. Issues which coincide with elements of the rating of procedural justice emerged from the focus groups. The components of representation, quality and accuracy, and respect and concern for the client were brought up in various ways. A suggestion is made for the use of the components of procedural justice as a guideline or checklist for lawyers and clients as a way of improving the image of lawyers and increasing clients’ consumer power. === Ph. D.