In order to be qualified to formally submit, one must be an “actively licensed” attorney who practices in the same state. Should peers who practice in other states, clients, or others want to recommend an attorney to Super Lawyers, the organization considers this in tandem with other nominations and criteria.
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So yes, you’re already a great lawyer; Super Lawyers merely heightens that recognition and markets toward anyone who uses their data as a platform off which to base their legal representation decisions.
The lists are published annually in state and regional editions of Super Lawyers Magazines and in inserts and special advertising sections in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers. All attorneys selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers, regardless of year, can be found on SuperLawyers.com.
Base your nominations on first-hand knowledge, rather than reputation-e.g., opposing counsel, co-counsel or someone you have observed in court or during a transaction. Login to SuperLawyers.com to make your nominations online. Contact Research for information about how to nominate attorneys for Super Lawyers.
In April 2013, the Super Lawyers selection process received a patent (U.S. Pat. No. 8,412,564) from The United States Patent and Trademark Office. This distinction is relevant to both attorneys and consumers, as it further demonstrates credibility as an impartial third-party rating system.
So if you're curious, use these five quick ways to research whether your lawyer is legit:State Bar Profile. Every lawyer who is licensed to practice law in your home state must be listed in your state bar association's directory. ... Google / Search Engines. ... Yelp. ... The Attorney's Own Website. ... Third-Party Rating Groups.
Tips for Talking to an AttorneyAlways be as honest and candid as possible about the facts of your case. ... Ask questions if you don't understand something that your attorney mentions or explains to you.Approach an attorney about your case as soon as you think you may need one.More items...•
The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state. The Rising Stars list recognizes no more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in each state. To be eligible for inclusion in Rising Stars, a candidate must be either 40 years old or younger, or in practice for 10 years or less.
Asking good questions is also an opportunity to sell yourself. They should be clear, thoughtful and relevant. Asking a lot of smart questions about the firm and your practice area also shows interest, and thus motivation. It also makes you look good by showing that you are intelligent, savvy and well-prepared.
A letter to an attorney should be written in a formal letter format with the attorney's name, law firm and address at the top near the date, addressed using a salutation and signed off with a closing such as "Very Truly Yours" or "Sincerely."
0:081:20What To Say When You Call An Attorney - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipKnow kind of ballpark. Terms where you're coming from. And then you can elaborate on your specific.MoreKnow kind of ballpark. Terms where you're coming from. And then you can elaborate on your specific.
How to Stand Out as a Rising Star at WorkKnow when to listen. ... Give credit where credit is due. ... Be agile. ... Be honest. ... Come up with a new idea. ... Bring solutions, not problems. ... Make yourself available. ... Be known as a “doer.”
Address an attorney as "Mr." or "Ms." in most contexts. In the salutation for a letter or email, address an attorney the same way you would any other respected professional- using "Mr." or "Ms." followed by their surname.
It's almost always advisable to tell your lawyer the whole truth about your case, even if you've committed a crime. Giving your lawyer all the facts helps them craft the best defense by raising reasonable doubt. Even when a client admits guilt, there are usually many mitigating circumstances that can come into play.
Why are lawyers so good at sex? Lawyers are confident, dominant, and even intimidating. While these are good qualities to have in the courtroom as well as in bed, good attorneys possess other qualities that make them exceptional lovers. They are innovative inventive and most importantly good listeners.
You may nominate a maximum of 21 lawyers (this means you are limited to seven in-firm nominations, seven out-firm nominations and seven Rising Stars nominations). No "campaigning" or soliciting nominations from other lawyers as such nominations may be disregarded and lead to disqualification.
Base your nominations on first-hand knowledge, rather than reputation-e.g., opposing counsel, co-counsel or someone you have observed in court or during a transaction.
As we’ve mentioned, Super Lawyers is a rating service that ranks lawyers across the country using a patented nomination process as well as selectively researching their background, achievements, and professional development using multiple criteria standards. The selection process rounds out by using a third step of peer review, conducted by fellow attorneys from the same practice area.
Being honored with a nomination from Super Lawyers may very well mean being featured in their press and digital marketing, which means even broader marketing outreach for you and your firm.
Super Lawyers is responsible for nominating outstanding attorneys in over 70 practice areas using a patented tri-level method: first beginning with peer nominations, then involving independent research of credentials, and finally ending with peer reviews and evaluations.
Further, because attorneys cannot nominate themselves and outside nominations are weighted more than in-firm submissions, it pays to have a wide professional network to increase the probability that someone may nominate you as a Super Lawyer .
There are 12 indicators in total, spanning over factors such as education background and work history, Bar activity, scholarly contributions, law firm positions, community outreach and pro bono work, awards and honors, and, of course, trials and settlements, transactional achievements, and clientele.
While formal nominations from other legal professionals are the most commonly recognized first step in the nomination process, Super Lawyers also accepts what it calls “informal nominations,” or recommendations from a variety of individuals who cannot formally submit a nomination. In order to be qualified to formally submit, one must be an “actively licensed” attorney who practices in the same state.
In fact, Super Lawyers has so much clout online and in the legal community that receiving publicity from them can actually boost your legal practice overall. Here’s how:
As a lawyer-rating service, Super Lawyers is intended to be a resource to help in the selection of legal counsel. As such, we limit the list to attorneys who can be hired and retained by the public, i.e., lawyers in private practice and Legal Aid attorneys.
We send attorneys licensed for five or more years an e-mail invitation to nominate. Attorneys who did not receive the invitation may simply click here and we will e-mail you an access link to log on and make nominations.
If your profile page does not contain your photograph, then you must first upgrade to an Expanded Online Attorney Profile or a Premium Online Attorney Profile. Please visit our Marketing Solutions page for more information.
A lawyer on our list is not a “ Super Lawyer” or a “Rising Star.” Rather, “he or she has been named to the 2019 Minnesota Super Lawyers list or 2019 Minnesota Rising Stars list.” When used properly, the term is not descriptive or comparative, which in some jurisdictions could raise ethical concerns. Instead, it’s a fact-based statement, and as such, is protected speech.
Yes! We call this feature the "Firm Management Tool." For more information please contact your Associate Publisher. You may request access to the Firm Management Tool here.
Being listed one year does not guarantee that you will be published the following year.
No. We maintain strict separation between research and advertising. Advertising sales do not begin until after the selection process is completed and the list is finalized.
Writing a letter to recommend a good lawyer can be challenging because you must present an objective perspective that's based on both your personal and professional assessment ...
Lawyers often work with people who need a problem solved, and the lawyer's personality, character and demeanor are factors that can enhance her effectiveness as legal counsel. When you write an attorney recommendation letter, however, focus on her legal experience and expertise and not so much her "chair-side manner," although that's an important factor for some people who are in the market for legal representation.
To avoid sharing anything that is attorney-client privileged, do not disclose specific personal information about you or your legal issue. If you were involved in a high-profile case, consider using a pseudonym to preserve your anonymity.
Instead of simply telling others, write a letter that explains why you have such confidence in your attorney. You might choose to send the letter to the law firm where your attorney works, or if you know someone who also is looking for legal representation, your letter might help someone else find a good lawyer.
Super Lawyers honorees are primarily grouped by geography. Lawyers from every state are considered and compared against peers in their city first, and then by state or region. On the Super Lawyers website, users can search for ranked lawyers by their location.
Another plus for Super Lawyers is that they publish annual lists of top women lawyers, and the selection process is totally straightforward. Candidates don’t need to do anything extra to be considered.
Super Lawyers highlights younger attorneys through “Rising Stars,” its list of high-achieving attorneys under the age of 40 who have been practicing law for less than 10 years. All attorneys, no matter their age, go through the normal Super Lawyers selection process.
In the evaluation process, lawyers are judged against peers in the same practice area. Most practice areas are represented, and some are even broken down into smaller categories. For example, Super Lawyers lists family law, but there are also separate groupings for Custody & Visitation, Divorce, Father's Rights, and Same Sex Family Law.
Since Super Lawyers doesn’t have a straightforward nomination process and lawyers can’t put their own names in the hat, breaking onto the list can seem like a bit of a mystery.
Ultimately, Super Lawyers has some pros and some cons. Whether or not it’s valuable for you depends mostly on your personal feelings toward it, the clients you serve, and whether other lawyers in your practice area use it as a distinguishing factor.
Super Lawyers is one of many attorney rating websites purporting to distinguish “the best from the rest” among U.S. lawyers. In its own words:
Look deep enough and you’ll often find a financial motive for feeling strongly anti or pro. Online attorney ratings is big business, after all.
Not everyone can earn recognition as a Super Lawyer. In fact, no more than 5% of the practicing attorneys in each state can be added to the registry each year. But the honor seems slightly less selective when you realize that not all lawyers are really in the running – only those whose names get submitted.
It’s worth noting that Super Lawyers .com does very well on Google, consistently earning a high rank in local search results. Better to be listed there than not. Then again, just because you earn the Super Lawyers distinction doesn’t mean you have to plaster it on your own home page. In other words, they can link to you even if you don’t link to them.
A quick caveat: if you think mentioning Super Lawyers on your website might get you in trouble with your state bar, stay away from it altogether.
In Jersey, for example, it’s okay to note that you were selected by the Super Lawyers organization for inclusion on its published list, but you can’t simply call yourself “a Super Lawyer” without further explanation. (That’s important because we’ve seen a lot of lawyers calling themselves just that online, without any fine print.)
Even if you make the clarification on your own site, you could get in trouble by including the Super Lawyers designation on LinkedIn or other social media forums lest you follow the rules to a T there too.