Income was down for many lawyers and new law school graduates were having a tougher time finding jobs in 2010, both signs of the recession's effect on the legal profession, an Alabama State Bar survey shows.

Nearly 40 percent of survey respondents made less than $50,000 in 2009, versus 24 percent in 1998, according to the survey, conducted in 2010 and released this month.

The rate of lawyers making more than $100,000 also dropped. In 2010, 28 percent of respondents reported that pay level, down from 40 percent in 1998, the survey showed.

"The legal profession is a service industry," said Jim Pratt, a Birmingham lawyer who is state bar president. "If clients are cutting back in terms of their budget because of the economy, it has a domino effect on the law firms that represent them."

Among unemployed lawyers, 14 percent said they were unable to get a job after law school. The survey found only 31 percent of responding lawyers' firms planned to hire lawyers in 2011 who had less than three years of experience.

John Carroll, dean of Cumberland School of Law, said the job market was tougher for graduates then, but numbers for 2011 graduates show improvement.

"It is something that all law schools are concerned about, and they work hard at placing their graduates," he said. "Hopefully, it bottomed out in 2010 and it will be even better for 2012 graduates."

The survey was randomly sent to 2,000 state bar members and completed by 427, according to the report by the state bar's Practice Management Assistance Program. Respondents' demographics were similar to bar membership, the survey report said. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

The report provides a snapshot of earnings and billings in the legal profession in Alabama in 2010. The survey found:

About 74 percent were employed full time, while nearly 5 percent were unemployed but seeking work in the law profession.

Nearly 42 percent were solo practitioners and some 62 percent worked in firms with five or fewer lawyers. Nearly 12 percent worked for large firms of 100 or more lawyers.

Nearly 23 percent of lawyers made less than $25,000 in 2009. Another 21 percent made between $50,000 and $75,000, the median salary range in the survey. Incomes above $250,000 were reported by nearly 5 percent.

Income increased 2008-09 for 39 percent of respondents. Nearly one-third reported a decrease in income while a little more than one-fourth reported stagnant income.

Generally, lawyers were better paid at larger firms, the survey found. But among the nine respondents reporting income of $350,000 or more, four were solo practitioners. Three were from firms of 100 or more lawyers.

Pratt said the survey may help the public better understand the realities of the legal profession.

"The impression many people have that lawyers make a ton of money or are only in it for the money is exposed as being not true," he said. "Much of the legal profession really can be described as small businesses. The overwhelming majority of our lawyers either work for themselves or firms that can be described as modest."

While income was down, the hourly rates that lawyers charge was up, the survey found. The median rate in the 1998 survey was $125 per hour, while the median hourly rate range found for 2009 was $150-$174.

Pratt attributes the downturn in overall income and employment figures mostly to the economy. It has shown signs of improvement since the 2010 survey, he said.

"But it's slower than I would like it to be," he said. "Things are still sluggish."

Another factor is the number of lawyers also has more than doubled since 1986, when the state bar had 8,000 members. The current membership of 16,599 has increased by more than one-third since 1998, when the state bar had 12,411 members.

But when the firms hire inexperienced associates these days, they are paying better salaries, the survey found. The median starting salary for all hires in 1998 was $33,000. The median salary range for 2009 hires was $75,000-$100,000.

The survey also showed that a substantial number of lawyers do not get the benefits most workers take for granted.

Nearly 60 percent did not get employer-provided individual health insurance, while 65 percent did not did not get family coverage through work. Four in 10 had no paid vacation and nearly half did not get paid sick leave.

Nearly 4 in 10 lawyers reported they had no funded retirement plan at work. Perhaps as a result, 47 percent of respondents said they do not plan to retire.

But elite lawyers still enjoy perks such as client entertainment expense accounts (27 percent) a car or vehicle allowance (15 percent) and paid club memberships (8 percent).

Join the conversation by clicking to comment or email Velasco at avelasco@bhamnews.com.