Most lawyers find it difficult to maintain focus due to the constant barrage of emails and information they receive, with the constant distraction potentially driving some lawyers out of the profession.

According to a survey released today (20 October) off the back of global research undertaken by LexisNexis*, 94 per cent of respondents in Australia find it difficult to focus on their work due to the regular distraction of emails and information they are expected to manage.

"The huge level of information besieging legal workers is a global issue, though it is noticeable that Australia has seen a higher impact than the rest of the world," said Marc Peter, LexisNexis director of technology and business development.

Australian lawyers surveyed revealed they spend more than half their day receiving and managing information, with only 46 per cent stating they actually use such information.

The survey also found that almost half (43 per cent) of respondents believe that young lawyers tend to leave the law early because information management is more intensive than they thought it would be.

Meanwhile, 87 per cent of Australian respondents said they wished their company would provide more training on information management.

But although reporting that they struggle to manage the information they receive, 48 per cent of Australian lawyers still believe the barrage of daily emails are actually very important in enabling them to successfully complete their work.

Such distractions are also hindering time billing, with nearly one third of global respondents (31 per cent) declaring that, at least once a week, they had trouble filling out timesheets.

The survey covered 600 legal professionals workings in five countries including Australia, the US, China, South Africa and the UK.

* LexisNexis is also the publisher of Lawyers Weekly