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2002 Oklahoma Bar Association Membership Survey Report THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL Vol. 73 No. 35 December 7, 2002 OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL is a publication of the Oklahoma Bar Associa- TABLE OF CONTENTS tion. All rights reserved. Copyright© 2002 Oklahoma Bar Association. The design of the scales and the “Oklahoma Bar Associ- MESSAGE FROM THE OBA PRESIDENT . 3394 ation” encircling the scales are trade- marks of the Oklahoma Bar Association. INTRODUCTION . 3395 Legal articles carried in THE OKLA- HOMA BAR JOURNAL are selected by the Board of Editors. I. THE OKLAHOMA LAWYER OBA MEMBERS . 3396 Managing Editor AGE . 3397 WILLIAM H. SULLIVAN RACE & ETHNICITY . 3398 News & Layout Editor REGION . 3400 CAROL A. MANNING GENDER . 3402 Editor RONALD MAIN, Tulsa II. STATUS . 3404 Associate Editors AR SSOCIATION ARTICIPATION STEPHEN D. BEAM, Weatherford III. B A P KLAHOMA AR OURNAL JUDGE LEE CARD, Ardmore O B J SHELLEY CUNDIFF, Poteau & WEB SITE . 3406 MELISSA G. DELACERDA, Stillwater BAR SERVICES. 3408 MICHAEL D. EVANS, Frederick CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION . 3409 LUKE GAITHER, Henryetta JAMES O. GOODWIN, Tulsa IV. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT . 3410 D. RENÉE HILDEBRANT, Oklahoma City O.B. JOHNSTON III, Vinita V. PRIVATE PRACTICE ATTORNEYS: HE USINESS NOTICE of change of address (which must be T B . 3412 in writing and signed by the OBA member), undeliverable copies, orders for subscriptions VI. PRACTICE AREAS . 3418 or ads, news stories, articles and all mail items should be sent to the Oklahoma Bar Associa- tion, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City, OK VII. PRIVATE PRACTICE: FIRMS . 3420 73152-3036. Oklahoma Bar Association VIII. SALARIED LAWYERS . 3429 Main Number . .(405) 416-7000 Toll Free . (800) 522-8065 IX. LAWYER INCOME . 3430 Facsimile Number . (405) 416-7001 Continuing Legal PPENDIX ESEARCH ETHODS Education . (405) 416-7006 A : R M . 3432 General Counsel . (405) 416-7007 Law Related Education . (405) 416-7005 Lawyers Helping Lawyers . (800) 364-7886 Mgmt. Assistance Program . .(405) 416-7008 Mandatory Continuing Legal Education . (405) 416-7009 Oklahoma Bar Journal & Public Information . (405) 416-7004 THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL (ISSN 0030-1655) IS PUBLISHED FOUR TIMES A MONTH IN Board of Bar Examiners . (405) 416-7075 JANUARY AND THREE TIMES A MONTH THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, BY THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION, 1901 N. LINCOLN BOULEVARD, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA 73105. PERIODICALS Oklahoma Bar Foundation . (405) 416-7070 POSTAGE PAID AT OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION, P.O. BOX 53036, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73152-3036. SUBSCRIPTIONS The Oklahoma Bar Association’s official website: ARE $45 PER YEAR EXCEPT FOR LAW STUDENTS REGISTERED WITH THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION, WHO MAY SUBSCRIBE FOR $25. ACTIVE MEMBER SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE INCLUDED AS A PORTION OF ANNUAL DUES. ANY OPINION EXPRESSED HEREIN IS THAT OF THE AUTHOR www.okbar.org AND NOT NECESSARILY THAT OF THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION, OR THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL BOARD OF EDITORS. Vol. 73 — No. 35 — 12/7/2002 OBA 2002 Membership Survey 3393 Message from the OBA President By Gary C. Clark My fellow OBA members: I am pleased to transmit to you the 2002 Oklahoma Bar Association Membership Survey Report. We are deeply indebted to Professor Robert Darcy, Oklahoma State Uni- versity Department of Statistics, who contributed his time and talent to compose an effective survey instrument and methodology and lead the effort with OSU Professor Mark Payton and OBA Survey Committee Chair Steven Balman. In order to increase the reliability of the data (and reduce costs), we chose to survey a ran- dom sampling of our membership with an aggressive follow-up campaign. In August 1,250 of our members received the survey either by e-mail or by regular mail (approximately one- half each). With the assistance of Judge Charles Hogshead programming an online response system, and follow-up correspondence, a response rate of over 75 percent was achieved. So that you can fully appreciate the significance of that response rate, you should know that the response rates for the 1992 and 1982 surveys were approximately 40 percent. Response rates in other bar surveys I have seen recently were 12 percent, 16 percent and 28 percent. A hearty thank you to those of you who received the survey and responded. The time you spent in completing the survey enables us to have a far more reliable picture of the envi- ronment of practicing lawyers in Oklahoma than we have ever had. Responses to survey questions have been supplemented by statistical information from our membership database and other sources and compared to prior surveys by Professor Darcy. All in all, the information drawn from the survey and other sources provides useful insight about the status of lawyers in Oklahoma and helps us to plan for the future. A few interesting facts to contemplate: Our 2002 membership (15,075) has increased by 300 percent since 1970 (4,793) and by 50 percent since 1992 (9,837). The number of lawyers over 50 years of age has increased from 27 percent to 41percent of our active in state mem- bership since 1992. On an economic front the median hourly rate for all lawyers in private practice is approximately $150, but the spread between non-metro counties and the metro counties is almost $20 per hour. In the 1992 survey over 43 percent of lawyers reported incomes under $50,000. Without adjusting for inflation, over 30 percent of lawyers reported earning less than $50,000 in the recent survey. Finally, you should know that while obtaining more reliable data, we have reduced the cost of the survey from $50,000 in 1992 to less than $12,000 this year. Your bar leadership will use the information provided by this report to provide you with the services you desire and need in your everyday practices. I think you will also find it useful and helpful. 3394 OBA 2002 Membership Survey Vol. 73 — No. 35 — 12/7/2002 2002 Oklahoma Bar Association Membership Survey Report R. Darcy & Mark Payton with Kiana Adkisson, Carissa Champlin, Mary Henderson and Erik Motsinger Department of Statistics Oklahoma State University Introduction The first study of Oklahoma lawyers in 1970 was devoted to economics and questions in other areas, years in practice or where the lawyer worked, for example, were of interest only to the extent income was affected. In subsequent surveys who the Oklahoma lawyer is and what he or she does expanded in scope. By the 1992 survey the 90 questions concerned bar association activities, office practices, community involvement, as well as the economic ques- tions. Here we keep this wide perspective. At the same time the survey was cut to 46 ques- tions. These 2002 responses are supplemented by responses from previous surveys, informa- tion calculated from the OBA membership data base and from other sources.1 Section I describes the Oklahoma lawyer. Included are age, race, gender and similar information. Section II describes the lawyer’s position or employment and his or her experience. Section III deals with participation in Oklahoma Bar Association activities and the Oklahoma Bar Journal. Section IV documents the Oklahoma lawyer’s community involvement. Section V describes how private practice lawyers conduct their business. Section VI documents practice areas. Section VII describes private practice firms. Section VIII describes salaried lawyers. Section IX documents lawyer income. The appendix describes how the survey was conducted. Vol. 73 — No. 35 — 12/7/2002 OBA 2002 Membership Survey 3395 I. The Oklahoma Lawyer OBA Members The Oklahoma Bar Association had 4,793 members in 1970; 7,908 in 1982 and 9,837 in 1992. The July 2002 membership stood at 14,837 of which 10,609 were active Oklahoma attorneys. The remainder are either inactive, reside outside Oklahoma, or both. Growth aver- aged 5.4 percent per year 1970 - 1982; 2.4 percent 1982 - 1992 and 5.0 percent 1992 - 2002. Assuming a growth averaging 5 percent per year, we can project an OBA member- ship of 22,255 by 2012. 2002 RESIDENCY NUMBER PERCENT Oklahoma 11,473 77.33% Other 3,364 22.67% Total 14,837 100% (from July 2002 OBA membership base) TYPE OF MEMBER NUMBER PERCENT Active 13,677 92.18% Associate 63 0.42% Senior 1,097 7.39% Total 14,837 100% (from July 2002 OBA membership base) HAS FAX NUMBER PERCENT Yes 5,643 49.19% No 5,830 50.81% 11,473 100% (from July 2002 OBA active Oklahoma membership base) HAS E-MAIL NUMBER PERCENT Yes 6,233 54.33% No 5,240 45.67% 11,473 100% (from July 2002 OBA active Oklahoma membership base) 3396 OBA 2002 Membership Survey Vol. 73 — No. 35 — 12/7/2002 2002 ISAJUDGE NUMBER PERCENT Yes 300 2.61% No 11,173 97.39% 11,473 100% (from July 2002 OBA active Oklahoma membership base) LAW SCHOOL NUMBER PERCENT University of Oklahoma 5,895 39.46% University of Tulsa 3,599 24.09% Oklahoma City University 3,143 21.04% University of Arkansas 226 1.51% University of Texas at Austin 184 1.23% Southern Methodist University 150 1.00% Other (less than 1% each) 1,742 11.66% 14,939 100% (from July 2002 OBA membership base) While Oklahoma lawyers come from 159 different law schools, 85 percent graduated from Oklahoma’s three law programs and, if we add Southern Methodist, Texas and Arkansas we have accounted for almost 90 percent of the Oklahoma legal profession. Age Today about a quarter of all members are under 40. Nearly 30 percent are over 55. In 1992 the survey reported over 40 percent aged 40 or under and only 19 percent over 55. 2002 ALL OBA ACTIVE OKLAHOMA OBA Age (Birth Year) Number Percent Number Percent Under 40 3,566 24.03% 2,788 24.30% 40 - 55 7,031 47.39% 5,376 46.86% Over 55 4,240 28.58% 3,309 28.84% Total 14,837 100% 11,473 100% (from July 2002 OBA membership base) Vol.