FROM THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & EDITORIAL
HOW WE SELECT ATTORNEYS FOR
INCLUSION IN SUPER LAWYERS
NOMINATION, RESEARCH
& SELECTION PROCESS
Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a
rigorous, multiphase process in which peer
nominations and evaluations are combined
with our independent research:
NOMINATIONS
Each year, we invite lawyers to nominate
the top attorneys they've personally
observed in action. Our attorney-led
research staff also searches for lawyers who
have attained certain honors or results.
1
EVALUATION OF THE
CANDIDATE POOL
Our researchers evaluate candidates
by 12 indicators of peer recognition and
professional achievement.
2
PEER EVALUATION BY
PRACTICE AREA
Candidates are grouped according to their
primary practice areas. Candidates in each
practice area who received the highest
point totals in the steps above are asked to
serve on a review panel.
3
FINAL SELECTION
Candidates are grouped into categories
based on firm size. The attorneys with
the highest totals from each category are
selected. Thus, lawyers are grouped with
other lawyers of comparable firm size.
4
One of the persistent misperceptions about Super
Lawyers is that attorneys are simply “voted” on
to the list. While it’s true that we invite lawyers
to nominate their peers, as you’ll see, this is just
a part of what we do in selecting lawyers for
Super Lawyers (and Rising Stars, our listing of top
lawyers who are 40 years old and younger, or who
have been in practice 10 or fewer years).
Our process has three distinct phases. We start
with the creation of the candidate pool, which
involves peer nominations and our research.
Our research department then evaluates each
candidate. The last step is a review of the
candidates by their peers within their primary
area of practice. Together, these three steps
create a system of checks and balances that
produces a well-rounded list of attorneys. (A
more detailed description of our process is
available at superlawyers.com.)
We evaluate candidates based on 12 indicators of
peer recognition and professional achievement.
These include: verdicts, settlements and
transactions; representative clients; experience;
honors and awards; special licenses and
certifications; position within law firm; bar
and other professional activity; pro bono and
community service; scholarly lectures and
writings; education and employment background;
and other outstanding achievements.
Research evaluations are based on information
gathered from a variety of sources. Our
research department searches biographies
on law firm websites, online and database
sources, legal periodicals, and any information
and evaluations supplied to us by lawyers at
my.superlawyers.com.
There are safeguards built into our system to
ensure that large firms don’t dominate the
list and to detect manipulation of the process
(e.g., reciprocal or orchestrated nominations).
We do not select attorneys by practice area per
se; rather, selected lawyers report to us their
primary area of practice, and that’s how they are
listed in the magazine.
CINDY LARSON
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & EDITORIAL
MY.SUPERLAWYERS.COM
GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK
Did we miss anyone?
Did we include anyone you think
shouldn’t be on the list?
NOMINATIONS ARE
NOW OPEN
Nominate your peers for next year
Evaluate/comment on lawyers
on this year’s list
Tell us about your practice
Note: The list was finalized as of September 9, 2011.
Any updates to the list (for example, status changes or
disqualifying events) will be reflected on superlawyers.com.
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S TRIVE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCURAC Y IN THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, BU T MAKE NO CLAIM, PROMISE OR GUARAN TEE ABOUT THE ACCURAC Y,
COMPLETENESS OR ADEQUACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MAGAZINE OR LINKED TO SUPERLAWYERS.COM AND ITS ASSOCIATED SITES.
THE HIRING OF AN ATTORNEY IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION THAT SHOULD NOT BE SOLELY BASED UPON ADVERTISING OR THE LISTINGS IN THIS MAGAZINE.
NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE THAT THE QUALITY OF THE LEGAL SERVICES PERFORMED BY THE ATTORNEYS LISTED IN THIS MAGAZINE WILL BE GREATER
THAN THAT OF OTHER LICENSED ATTORNEYS. SUPER LAWYERS IS AN INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE PUBLISHER THAT HAS DEVELOPED ITS OWN SELECTION
METHODOLOG Y. SUPER LAW YERS IS NOT AFFILIATED WI TH AN Y S TATE OR REGULATORY BODY, AND I TS LIS TINGS DO NO T CERTIFY OR DESIGNATE AN ATTORNEY
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