The changing character of lawyers' work: Chicago in 1975 and 1995

This article compares findings from two surveys of Chicago lawyers, the fir st conducted in 1975 and the second in 1995. The earlier study indicated th at the Chicago bar was then divided into two broad sectors or "hemispheres, " one serving large corporations and similar organizations and the other se rving individuals and small businesses. Analyses of the structure of co-pra ctice of the fields of law indicate that the hemispheres are now less disti nct. The fields are less tightly connected and less clearly organized-they became more highly specialized during the intervening 20 years and are now organized in smaller clusters. Clear indications of continuing separation o f work by client type remain, however. Estimates of the amount of lawyers' time devoted to each field in 1975 and 1995 indicate that corporate practic e fields now consume a larger share of Chicago lawyers' attention, while fi elds such as probate receive a declining percentage. Growth is most pronoun ced in the litigation fields, especially in business litigation. The organi zational contexts within which law is practiced both reflect and contribute to these changes. The scale of those organizations has increased greatly, and the allocation of work within them has been divided along substantive, doctrinal lines. As a result, there is a greater disaggregation of work and workgroups within the profession today.