After a six-year ebb in which the annual increase in the number of registered Illinois attorneys averaged 992, a tidal surge of 1,940 hit the master roll last year.

The annual report of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, submitted to the Illinois Supreme Court on May 1, reveals that registrations increased to 80,041 on Oct. 31, 2005, from 78,101 in the previous reporting period.

Further, the reported total does not include the record 2,187 attorneys who were admitted in November and December or approximately 800 who took the oath on May 4. The current total, subject to recent retirements and deaths, is about 82,000.

The growth rate of 2.5 percent from 2004 to 2005 had not been equaled since 1998. During the intervening six years, the rate of increase averaged 1.37 percent.

The ARDC report shows no change in years of practice: 71 percent at 10 years or more, and 29 percent less than 10 years.

In age categories, there was no change in 21 to 29 years (6%) or 75-plus years (3%). However, ages 30 to 49 dropped from 58 to 57 percent, while ages 50 to 74 increased from 33 to 34 percent.

By gender, female attorneys continued a gradual increase – from 32 percent of registrations in 2004 to 33 percent in 2005.

Of the 80,041 registered attorneys, 8,364 are on inactive status, 1,947 are judges or judicial clerks, and 219 are on active military duty.

The rate of increase among attorneys who registered with principal business addresses in Illinois was slightly lower, at 2.2 percent, than the gross total.

Attorneys practicing in the five judicial districts totaled 61,130 on Oct. 31, up 1,303 from 59,827 the previous year.

Cook County (1st District) showed the largest growth (714) but the lowest rate of increase (1.7%). Cook's new total of 42,510 represents 69.5 percent of the state's total.

The 2nd District grew 3.6 percent – up 347 from 9,573 to 9,920. Increases were registered in all five of its circuits (15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th).

The 3rd District grew 2.9 percent – up 83 from 2,893 to 2,976. The 10th, 12th and 14th Circuits increased; the 9th and 21st decreased slightly, and the 13th was unchanged.

The 4th District grew 3.3 percent – up 103 from 3,12o to 3,223. The 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th Circuits increase, while the 5th Circuit dropped by one.

The 5th District grew 2.3 percent – up 56 from 2,445 to 2,501. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 20th Circuits increased, and the 4th Circuit dropped by one.

Among the larger counties, the largest growth occurred in McLean, which was up 12.2 percent, from 469 to 526; Will was up 6.4 percent, from 808 to 860; Kane was up 5.6 percent, from 1,035 to 1,093.

Showing increases of 4.6 percent were Lake, from 2,845 to 2,976; McHenry, from 520 to 544, and Madison, from 670 to 701.

The Supreme Court imposed a record 167 disciplinary sanctions against 165 attorneys during the year that ended Oct. 31: 32 disbarments, 85 suspensions, 21 probations, 25 censures and 5 reprimands. The court also imposed 12 interim suspensions.

The total included 31 out-of-state lawyers. By county, the largest number of sanctions were reported in Cook (84), DuPage (15) and Lake (10).

The highest previous sanctions were ordered in 2004 (149), 1995 (148), 1998 (138), 2003 (137), 2002 (126) and 2001 (123).

A total of 1,944 investigations were pending on Jan. 1, 2005, and 6,082 complaints were docketed during the year; 6,185 were concluded by the administrator or by inquiry, and 1,841 were pending on Dec. 31.

During the year, 317 complaints were voted by the Inquiry Board; 144 matters were filed with the Hearing Board and 134 were concluded there; 28 matters were filed with the Review Board and 47 were concluded there.