9411515 HEINZ During the last two decades, extensive changes have taken place in the legal services industry. In particular, the market for legal services has changed significantly. U.S. Supreme Court decisions striking down limitations on advertising and fee schedules unleashed new forms of competition and new mechanisms for the delivery of legal services, including franchise law firms and group legal service plans. Corporate law firms experienced dramatic growth, internal bureaucratization, and intense competition as longstanding client relationships gave way to a transactions- oriented market. During these same decades, women entered the professions of the law in far greater numbers than ever before, and the percentage of minorities among legal professionals also increased substantially, though far less rapidly. These practitioners control access to the legal system - in fact, they dispose of most of the cases. Therefore, the social backgrounds from which they are recruited, the types of work they do, the kinds of clients they represent, the professional and community roles they occupy, and the social and political values they hold are related fundamentally to the character of justice in American society. This study will be based on interviews with the full range of legal professionals, including prosecutors, judges, and inside corporate counsel, as well as private practitioners. Data exist from a similar survey conducted in Chicago in 1974-75, which will provide a basis for comparison and analysis of the extent of changes over the past twenty years. Personal interviews will now be conducted in Chicago with a random sample of about 800 respondents. The analyses will assess changes in the nature of the work, work settings, career histories, professional commitment, client relationships, professional networks, and personal background characteristics. Special attention will be given to the changing roles of women and minorities in the legal services industry. ***
