In a recent survey on civility in the legal industry, a whopping 88.4 percent of Connecticut Law Tribune respondents said a lack of civility is either a pervasive or somewhat pervasive problem. Part of a series of informal, anonymous surveys at Law.com publications, the poll drew some extended comments from respondents regarding specific incidents and general experiences in the legal workplace.

Of the 43 respondents, 10 said they see lack of civility as a pervasive issue and 28 individuals said it was somewhat pervasive.

(Click the arrows in the graphic to explore results in other regions.)

A female respondent remarked that she has been told “to learn to let the men talk” in conferences, during which she is routinely asked if she is even an attorney.

Another attorney noted that incivility can be part of a game attorneys play. “I was recently involved in a settlement negotiation with an attorneys from out of state,” the laywer wrote. “There were just a couple of sticking points left, but he thought my client might have more. When I started with the first of my client's two concerns, he started screaming and accusing me of bad faith. He accused my client of worse. We moved to the second issue and made short work of it, and he asked me what was next. When I told him that was it, and I would let my client know that his had not budged on the first issue, he suddenly changed position and tone. He immediately agreed to the first term and thanked me for my professionalism. His incivility, which he had projected on me, had all been an act and a negotiating ploy. This was a commercial dispute between two businesses and the biggest issues had already been agreed on.”