DATA FOR THE STUDY WERE OBTAINED FROM A MAIL SURVEY OF A SAMPLE OF ABOUT 2,000 PERSONS SELECTED FROM THE POPULATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES IN 1975. FINDINGS SHOW A GENERAL PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION WITH LEGAL COMPLEXITY AND LEGAL LANGUAGE, PARTICULARLY AMONG LOWER-STATUS, NONPROPERTY-OWNING GROUPS. THOSE WHO RELY UPON LAWYERS TEND TO ACCEPT AN IDEALISTIC ATTITUDE TOWARD THE OPERATION OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM. BOTH USERS AND NONUSERS OF LAWYER'S SERVICES ARE DISPOSED TOWARD A SENSE OF POWERLESSNESS VIS-A-VIS THE LEGAL SYSTEM WITHOUT THE SERVICES OF A LAWYER. ON THE WHOLE, MOST USERS OF LAWYER SERVICES ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PRESENT STRUCTURE OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION, NOTABLY ITS VIRTUAL MONOPOLY OVER CONVEYANCE WORK. PROPERTY OWNERSHIP AND LEGAL EXPERIENCE ARE KEY VARIABLES IN EXPLAINING ACCESS TO AND USE OF LAWYER SERVICES. UPPER-STATUS GROUPS COMPRISE THE LARGEST SINGLE GROUP OF USERS OF LEGAL SERVICES. LOWER-STATUS, NONPROPERTY OWNERS TEND TO FEEL THAT LAWYERS EXPLOIT THEM. WHILE THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL IGNORANCE ABOUT WHAT LAWYERS DO, MOST RESPONDENTS WOULD PREFER TO CONSULT A LEGAL SPECIALIST IN THE GIVEN PROBLEM AREA. THERE IS NO CLEAR DIVISION IN ATTITUDES AND EXPERIENCES OF UPPER-STATUS AND LOWER-STATUS CLIENTS REGARDING LAWYER FEES. LEGAL EXPERIENCE, PROPERTY OWNERSHIP, TYPE OF LEGAL PROBLEM, AND HAVING A REGULAR LAWYER APPEAR MORE IMPORTANT IN EXPLAINING WHY CLIENTS OBJECT TO OR ARE SATISFIED WITH FEES IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. THERE IS AN OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH ATTORNEY SERVICES AMONG ALL GROUPS OF CLIENTS. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN A DISCUSSION OF THE SURVEY METHODOLOGY, A SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE, AND TABULAR DATA. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (RCB)