“There are only three lawyer jokes—the rest are true stories” is one of the most popular of lawyer jokes. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1992 and is of unknown authorship.
 
   
Google Groups: talk.abortion
Newsgroups: talk.abortion
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Chris A Lyman)
Date: 30 Jun 92 19:50:56 GMT
Local: Tues, Jun 30 1992 2:50 pm
Subject: Re: Changing your minds AGAIN??
(...)
Say, did you know how many lawyer jokes there are?
Three; the rest are true stories. 😉
 
11 October 1992, Dallas (TX) Morning News, “Take this election, please‎” by Rena Pederson:
Mr. Adask contends there are only three lawyer jokes and that all the rest are true stories.
 
Google Books
The Joke’s On—Lawyers
By Stan D. Ross and Ysaiah Ross
Annandale, NSW: The Federation Press Pty Ltd
1996
Pg. 110 (back cover):
Question. How many lawyer jokes are in existence?
Answer. Only 3. All the rest are true stories.
 
Google Books
Pray Ball!:
The Spiritual Insights of a Jewish Sports Fan
By James M. Gordon
Hewlett, NY: Gefen Books
1999
Pg. 106:
A congregant once asked me, “How many lawyer jokes are there in the world?” He responded, “There are really only three; the rest are all true stories!”
 
Google Books
Practice Without Fear
By Roger Y. Murray and Toby W. Unwin
Washington, DC: Element Ltd. Corp.
2003
Pg. 9:
Apparently there are only three lawyer jokes – the rest are true stories.
 
Slate
“Churn That Bill, Baby!”
How did lawyers get such a bad reputation? And do they overbill all the time?
By Forrest Wickman|Posted Tuesday, March 26, 2013, at 7:21 PM
(...)
According to a common quip, “There are only three lawyer jokes. The rest are all true stories.”