HOW WE SELECT ATTORNEYS FOR
INCLUSION IN SUPER LAWYERS
NOMINATION, RESEARCH
& SELECTION PROCESS
1
Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a
rigorous, multistage 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.
2 EVALUATION OF THE
CANDIDATE POOL
Our researchers evaluate candidates
by 12 indicators of peer recognition
and professional achievement.
3 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.
One of the persistent misperceptions about
Super Lawyers is that attorneys are simply
“voted” onto 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.
4 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.
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 Feb. 27, 2012.
Any updates to the list (for example, status
changes or disqualifying events) will be reflected
on superlawyers.com.
DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN SUPER LAW YERS MAGAZINE IS NO T LEGAL ADVICE, NOR IS SUPER LAWYERS A LEGAL REFERRAL
SERVICE. WE STRIVE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCURACY IN THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, BUT MAKE NO CLAIM, PROMISE OR
GUARANTEE ABOUT THE ACCURACY, 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 O THER LICENSED ATTORNEYS. SUPER LAWYERS
IS AN INDEPENDEN T MAGAZINE PUBLISHER THAT HAS DEVELOPED I TS O WN SELEC TION METHODOLOGY. SUPER LAWYERS IS NOT AFFILIATED
WI TH AN Y STATE OR REGULATORY BODY, AND ITS LIS TINGS DO NOT CERTIFY OR DESIGNATE AN ATTORNE Y AS A SPECIALIS T. S TATE REQUIRED
DISCLAIMERS CAN BE FOUND ON THE RESPEC TIVE S TATE PAGES ON SUPERLAW YERS.COM.
