Demographics
By John Ennis
Posted 12-08-2006
(The first in an occasional series of random facts tied around a theme. This edition: demography)
1. Number of attorneys in the U.S. (12/31/2005): 1,104,564
2. Attorneys in U.S. per 100,000 people: 370
3. Attorneys in Israel per 100,000 people (2005): 390
4. Attorneys in China per 100,000 people (2002): 8
5. Number of attorneys in China (2002): 110,000
6. Percentage of criminal defendants in China represented by legal counsel (2001): 30%
7. Number of attorneys in China (1996): 85-90,000
8. Percentage of criminal defendants in China represented by legal counsel (1996): 40%
9. Number of attorneys in China in the early 1980s: 200
10. Percentage of criminal defendants in China represented by legal counsel in early 1980s: Unknown
11. United States’ annual population growth rate (2006 estimate): 0.9%
12. Annual growth rate in attorneys (2005-06): 1.4%
13. Number of attorneys in New York State (12/31/2005): 144,599
14. New York State’s rank: 1st
15. Attorneys in New York per 100,000 people: 751
16. Attorneys in the District of Columbia (12/31/2005): 43,445
17. Attorneys in D.C. per 100,000 people: 7,892
18. Percentage of law students who are female (2003-04): 49%
19. Percentage of attorneys who are female (2000): 27%
20. Percentage of attorneys who were female in 1980: 8%
21. Minority enrollment in law school (2003-04): 20.6%
22. Percentage of attorneys who are in a minority (2000): 11.2%
23. Median age of an attorney (2000): 45
24. Median age of an attorney (1980): 39
25. Median age in the U.S. (2006): 36.5
26. Median age in the U.S. (1990): 32.9
27. Percentage of attorneys under 30 (2000): 7%
28. Percentage of attorneys under 30 (1980): 15%
29. Percentage of attorneys in a law firm (any size): 38%
30. Percentage of attorneys in solo private practice: 36%
31. Percentage of attorneys in a firm with more than 100 lawyers: 10%
32. Number of judges in the State of New York (state and federal): 1350
33. Ratio of attorneys to judges in NY: 107:1
Sources:
1. American Bar Association (ABA)
2. ABA & Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
3. World Law Group (12/15/2005) and CIA
4. Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC) 2004 Annual Report and CIA
5. Associated Press, July 8, 2002
6-8. CECC 2004 Annual Report
9. AP, 7/8/02
11. CIA
12-14. ABA
15. ABA & U.S. Census Bureau
16. ABA
17. ABA & U.S. Census Bureau
18-24. ABA
25. CIA
26. usgovinfo.about.com
27-31. ABA
32. New York State Unified Court System (NYS UCS) and U.S. District Courts
33. ABA, NYS UCS & U.S. District Courts