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Other Special Reports

• Long Range Planning Report of the NC Bar Association & Foundation - June 2001
  
  
• Multidisciplinary Practice Report - February 2001
  
  
• NCBA Alternative Billing Commission Survey Report October 1999
  The North Carolina Bar Association Alternative Billing Commission was appointed by President Tony Hornthal in 1996 to investigate, evaluate and report on the prevalence of hourly billing and other billing methods in the legal profession in North Carolina, and on the impact of hourly billing upon the quality of life of North Carolina attorneys. The work of the Commission builds upon earlier work of the Association's Task Force on Quality of Life and its Task Force on the Quality and Value of Legal Services. As a result of a grant from the NCBA Endowment, the Commission carried out a survey of North Carolina lawyers on billing and compensation practices, and on attitudes toward both. A statistically valid response was obtained from all demographic groups within the bar, and the results have been tabulated by reference to age, firm size, size of towns and practice areas, among others. This report narrates the findings of the Commission Survey and relates those findings to data from other surveys, including the Association's 1990 Quality of Life Survey and Altman Weil Pensa alternative billing and compensation surveys. The Report concludes with action recommendations based upon the work of the Commission and its Survey.
  
  
• Final Report of the Working Coalitions to the NC Commission for the Delivery of Civil Legal Services -- July 1997
  This report represents on of the many phases of a critical planning process that originated in September, 1995. North Carolina's legal services providers initiated this planning process in an attempt to study the impact of substantial federal funding cutbacks. In order to develop a complete picture of North Carolina's legal services delivery system, each document produced during this process, including: the Altman Weil Pensa (AWP) Study on the Delivery of Civil Legal Services to the Poor in North Carolina, the NCBA Task Force on Legal Services Recommendations, these working coalition reports and ultimately the reports and ultimately the report of the NC Commission for the Delivery of Civil Legal Services should be read together.
  
  
• Commission on Race Relations in North Carolina
  Final Report & Recommendations -- Release Date: September, 1996
  The Commission on Race Relations is a joint effort of the NC Bar Association and the NC Association of Black Lawyers. The Commission's central purpose is to develop ways to eliminate any and all forms of racial discrimination, racial inequity, racial impropriety or unfair racial distinctions that exist within the legal profession. This report discusses problems faced by minority attorneys and provides recommendations to help eliminate the problems of racial bias and discrimination.
  
  
• Task Force on the Education & Training of Lawyers in NC Report & Recommendations -- April 1996
  This Task Force was initially created in response to the ABA's Section of Legal Education and Admissions' Education Task Force, which was chaired by Robert MacCrate. The NCBA Task Force on the Education & Training of Lawyers was chaired by James C. Fuller and Charles E. Burgin. The focus of the Task Force was to study and report on the education of attorneys from pre-law, law school, post-law school to the continuing education of practicing attorneys. The Report outlines the "Essential Lawyering Skills Series" which has been developed in accordance with the 1992 ABA report, "Legal Education and Professional Development." Also included in the report are the various subcommittee reports of the Task Force.
  
  
• Commission on Public Trust & the Legal Profession Report & Recommendations -- April, 1995
  The Commission on Public Trust & the Legal Profession was chaired by J. Donald Cowan, Jr. The charge of the Commission was to evaluate the legal profession in NC with respect to the public trust. The Commission looked at various areas of the legal profession and held hearings in seven locations around the state to evaluate the public's and the legal community's perception of the legal profession. This report discusses those findings and offers recommendations to improve the public's, and even practicing attorneys', perception of attorneys and the legal profession.
  
  
• Commission on the Status of Women in the Legal Profession in NC Final Report -- June 1993
  In 1989 the NC Association of Women Attorneys and the NC Bar Association surveyed of 1,800 NC attorneys to develop a profile of the attitudes and perceptions of attorneys toward the role gender plays in the practice of law. From results of that survey, the Commission on Women, co-chaired by Dorothy Bernholz and Sharon L. Parker, was established to study numerous issues faced by women attorneys. This reports outlines those concerns and makes recommendations to ensure greater equality and a more gender neutral legal society in NC.
  
  
• Task Force on Solo and Small Firm Practitioners Final Report & Recommendations -- April 1993
  This Task Force, co-chaired by Carlyn G. Poole and Robert G. Byrd, looked at the problems facing solo and small firm practitioners in North Carolina. The issues looked at included continuing educational opportunities, general office management policies, technological issues, professionalism and public relations. As a result of this Task Force, the NCBF CLE department offers several programs each year that focus primarily on the interests of solo and small firm practitioners.
  
  
• Task Force on the Quality & Value of Legal Services Final Report & Recommendations -- April 1993
  Chaired by H. Park Helms, the Task Force on the Quality & Value of Legal Services takes a critical look at the problems, issues and effects billing practices have on public perception of the legal profession and the high degree of personal and professional dissatisfaction among attorneys in NC. The Task Force members studied current and alternative billing practices, conducted hearings across the state that included members of the legal profession and the public, and analyzed information contained in various reports and the findings of the hearings. The Task Force offered recommendations that suggest practical communications with clients and offered alternative means of billing for legal services.
  
  
• Quality of Life Task Force Report -- June 1991
  The Quality of Life Task Force Report has been the genesis of several Task Forces and Commissions featured here, such as the Commission on Women Report and the report of the Task Force on the Quality & Value of Legal Services. Under the leadership of Larry B. Sitton as chair, the Task Force designed and implemented a survey to measure the satisfaction of practicing attorneys with their chosen career and personal expectations. The Task Force looked at the major causes of attorney satisfaction and dissatisfaction and then worked to develop recommendations and action plans to enhance the good elements and to prevent or to mitigate the bad.
  
  

Interested in receiving a copy of one or more of these in-depth reports? If so, please e-mail your request, including your name and mailing address, to ncba@ncbar.org and a complimentary copy of the report requested will be mailed to you.