Florida lawyers sound off: 2017 Membership Opinion Survey provides a snapshot of the profession.

A vast majority of Florida lawyers are pleased with The Florida Bar's stewardship of the legal profession, according to the 2017 Membership Opinion Survey.

Eighty percent of all respondents rated The Florida Bar as an excellent or good advocate for the profession, the highest rating ever received for that question, which dates back to 1995, said Mike J. Garcia, the Bar's director of Research, Planning & Evaluation.

The survey, conducted every two years, also found:

* 92 percent of respondents who participated in a Florida Bar CLE seminar in the past year rate the overall quality of Florida Bar CLE seminars as excellent/good, compared to less than 1 percent who rate it as poor.

* 73 percent of respondents agree that the Bar promotes high standards of ethics and competence in the legal profession, compared to just 11 percent who disagree.

* 67 percent of respondents agree the Bar is a supportive and cohesive organization interested in the well-being of its members, compared to just 15 percent who disagree.

* 65 percent of respondents agree the Bar is responsive to the needs of its members, compared to 13 percent who disagree.

"What the survey results exhibit is an extremely high level of member satisfaction, which is reflective of both the efficient and effective leadership of the Board of Governors and other Bar leaders, coupled with a dedicated Bar staff," Garcia said.

Those surveyed also shared their opinions on lawyer advertising, technology, pro bono, and career satisfaction. The survey also provides some information on how lawyers are doing financially, although the income data collected is not as comprehensive as is gathered every other year in the Bar's Law Office Management and Economic survey.

The survey found Florida Bar members also think there are too many lawyers in the state and are concerned about growing competition from nonlawyers. High levels of stress and balancing family and work are also their top personal concerns.

Seventy-four percent of respondents also agreed with the statement, "The public does not have confidence in the existing legal system."

The 2017 Membership Opinion Survey was emailed to 3,572 randomly selected Bar members, and 26 percent of the surveys were returned. Garcia said for this sample, the error of estimation rate is just over 3 percent at the 95-percent level of confidence.

Garcia said 41 percent of all respondents say the oversaturation of lawyers will have the greatest impact on the profession...