Most Albertans Satisfied With Their Lawyers

Calgary, AB - Most (78%) Albertans appear to be satisfied with the services provided by their lawyer, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Law Society of Alberta. Just over one half (53%) say they are `Very Satisfied' with the services provided by their lawyer with another quarter (25%) describing themselves as being `Somewhat Satisfied'. Just one in ten (6% Somewhat Dissatisfied, 3% Very Dissatisfied) say they were not `satisfied' overall with the service provided by their lawyer.

A large majority of Albertans who worked with a lawyer in the past three years also provide a positive assessment of the value they received for the fees paid. More than seven-in-ten Albertans (71%) said they received either `Very Good Value' (34%) or `Good Value' (37%) from their lawyers. Another two-in-ten (20%) believe they received `Somewhat Good Value' while just under one-in-ten (9%) feel they received `Not Very Good Value' (6%) or `Poor Value' (3%) from the fees paid for their lawyer's services.

Albertans report using the services of lawyers for a wide range of matters during the past three years. Among those who experienced these situations, lawyers were most frequently used for real estate transactions (84%), wills and estates (78%), family relationship problems (59%), small business issues (54%), personal injury problems (46%) and crime related matters (40%). The services of lawyers were also used by Albertans to address immigration problems (35% of those who experienced such situations), property damage (27%) and discrimination issues (25%).

Reputation (43%) and referral from another person (41%) were the factors most often considered important by Albertans in their selection of a lawyer. Professional credentials (Legal training 30%) and standing (Subject to Code of Ethics and Professional 26%) followed behind as important selection criteria. Knowing the lawyer personally (25%), the cost of services (23%) and proximity/ accessibility (23%) were also notable factors used by Albertans in selecting a lawyer.

The great majority of Albertans did not have far to travel when working with their lawyer. Fully 82% (30% within their immediate community, 52% within their city / town / region) received assistance from a lawyer located within their municipality or region. A minority (18%) of Albertans travelled further to receive services from a lawyer (7% less than 50 kilometres, 4% 50 to 100 kilometres and 8% more than 100 kilometres).

A lack of knowledge underscored what Albertans expected to be most difficult in resolving the legal problems they had experienced in the past three years. Specifically 39% reported being uncertain of their rights, 37% said they simply didn't know what to do, 28% found the problem / situation to be too complex and overwhelming and 17% thought nothing could be done. The expected costs (39%) of resolving their problems and the amount of time it was anticipated to take / require (19%) represented another category of challenges forecast by Albertans. Worry and anxiety also weighed on some Albertans with 24% expecting it would be too stressful to pursue a resolution of their problem, 18% thinking there would be too much conflict, 12% being concerned about damaging their relationship with the `other side' and 11% saying outright that they were too afraid to take action.

One third (35%) of Albertans report being personally involved in a court hearing or tribunal proceeding as a result of a legal problem or issue. High levels of satisfaction (80%) were expressed (50% Very Satisfied/30% Somewhat Satisfied) by those Albertans who used the services of a lawyer in their most recent court hearing or tribunal proceeding. Just one in ten (4% Somewhat Dissatisfied, 6% Very Dissatisfied) were `not satisfied' with the service of their lawyer while in court / at a tribunal.

When asked about their likelihood of hiring a lawyer in the future if confronted with a difficult to resolve legal problem, most say that they are `Likely' (42% Very/48% Somewhat) to hire a lawyer. In contrast, fewer than one in ten (8%) say they're `Not Likely' (6% Not Very/2% Not at All) to hire a lawyer in the future.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between December 11-21, 2009 on behalf of the Law Society of Alberta. For this survey, a sample of 1,577 adult Albertans drawn the Ipsos Canadian Online Panel was interviewed online. Weighting was employed to balance demographics according to Census data and ensure that the sample composition is representative of the general Alberta population based on age, gender, and region. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults on Alberta been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.

Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2009, Ipsos generated global revenues of e943.7 million ($1.33 billion U.S.). .

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