SBM to hold survey assessing economic state of the legal profession

Every three years, the State Bar of Michigan conducts a survey to determine benchmarks for Michigan attorneys and to calculate economic disparities within the legal profession. The State Bar will begin surveying all Michigan attorneys for the 2023 report in February.

The Economics of Law Survey compiles average income levels for more than 50 specific fields of practice and collects a variety of other data including race, gender, and geographic location. The State Bar of Michigan last issued its Economics of Law Report in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic — making this year’s survey even more significant because it will help determine the impact of the pandemic. The survey also will offer Michigan attorneys an opportunity to anonymously share their firsthand experiences related to the pandemic.

The survey helps determine county-by-county and statewide average billing rates and income for both private and non-private practice attorneys in all occupation areas. This data is used by courts to determine attorney fees, and it can help all Michigan lawyers determine how their salaries measure up.

Michigan attorneys will receive emails inviting them to participate. Read more about the Economics of Law Survey in the January 2023 Michigan Bar Journal.

Posted: December 15, 2022