In an interesting revelation, a recent ranking has highlighted a shift in perception towards the legal profession. Lawyers now rank higher than U.S. lawmakers, business executives, insurance salespeople and even stockbrokers, when it comes to honesty and ethical standards. A recent Gallup poll found that 16% of Americans rate lawyers’ honesty and ethical standards as “high” or “very high”. Comparatively, business executives, insurance salespeople, and stockbrokers had a lesser percentage of Americans – 12% – viewing their occupations as having high or very high ethics and honesty. Advertising practitioners, car salespeople and senators, and members of Congress saw just 8% and 6% respectively.
On the flip side however, it is important to note that the current 16% rating for lawyers is actually a decrease from last year’s 21%. The hint of number manipulation in this drop might be a contributing factor as to why lawyers still find themselves struggling with their public image.
Despite this decrease, the legal profession still manages to outpace several other professions in trustworthiness, including corporate executives, stockbrokers, and even the likes of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s contemporaries.
But the legal profession has yet to beat the most trusted profession based on honesty and ethical standards – nursing.
This newfound trust in lawyers bodes well for the profession, but at the same time, raises challenging questions about the perceived legitimacy of lawmakers and people in business.
For more detailed insights, feel free to refer to the original article at Above the Law.