The lawyers lament - does everybody hate us? Well, the research is done and the answer is in - yes!! Lawyers who believe that the image of the profession is our greatest problem are right, at least in Missouri. Research commissioned by The Missouri Bar last year indicates that negative attitudes toward lawyers were widespread (70%), and even more prevalent regarding the judicial system as a whole (90%). Judges were viewed with suspicion; lawyers were thought to be "trouble." Yet this same research showed that personal experience with lawyers and the judiciary was quite positive (75-80%). In other words, the problem is not the reality of the justice system -- its our image.

So, you say, what are we going to do about our image? By the time you read this, you may already know. The Missouri Bar is airing, on both television and radio, a series of institutional ads designed to convey three simple messages:

1. The system works.

2. Lawyers are good problem-solvers.

3. Lawyers are affordable.

There are four television and four radio spots; the radio and television ads are very similar so that our message is reinforced through repetition. Each ad is 30 seconds long and ends with the same tag line: "Missouris legal system works for you." These ads will be run in six-week segments, starting this winter, again in the spring, and again in the fall. The ads are designed to present lawyers and the system in a positive light. Depending on the response we get from the public (and from lawyers), we will develop additional spots covering other topics (the initial ads deal with making a will, buying a house, starting a business, and a more general one).

This project has been made possible by the Missouri Broadcasters Association, which has a program titled "Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcements," the purpose of which is to help governmental agencies and non-profit associations get their message to the public. Under this program, the bar receives guaranteed placement (50% of our ads will air between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.; 50% between 6:00 p.m. and midnight) and very favorable pricing (for every dollar we spend, we get four dollars of air time). We will receive a quarterly report detailing the stations and times our ads have run. Again, depending on feedback, we will adjust the mix of stations and amount of air time we use. We foresee this program, if successful, being carried out in the future for some time.

The Missouri Bar has always been dedicated to working for access to the legal system for all Missourians. There can be no equal justice under law without equal access to the legal system. The role of povert as an obstacle to justice has always been understood, and the bar supports a number of programs to help low-income Missourians get legal assistance. Now, the role of attitude is becoming apparent; the negative image that Missourians have of the justice system is a powerful factor affecting access to justice. During the coming year, The Missouri Bars institutional advertising campaign will try to change the publics perception.

Im sure I can count on lawyers to give me your thoughts on this subject (and specifically on this campaign), and the bar staff is happy to hear from you as well. This program is of necessity starting small, but it represents a giant step forward in our efforts to deal directly with lawyers image. Hopefully, with time and repetition, we can make a difference!