Turnover among Professionals: a Longitudinal Study of American Lawyers

Turnover intentions and actual turnover among lawyers are examined in an attempt to clarify whether common models of turnover can be applied to this professional occupation, which has rarely been examined. Three models are explored in their relation to turnover: personal characteristics, work-related variables, and nonwork domain variables. The data are based on responses to the National Survey of Career Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction of the American Bar Association, 1984 and 1990. The findings reveal that work-related variables were the main determinants of turnover intentions, and personal characteristics together with nonwork domain variables were the main determinants of actual turnover. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.