When looking to hire a lawyer, you may see a lot of them talk about the affiliations they belong to or have been included in. This may look good on a website, but in reality, how important are these legal affiliations? Lets look at a few of them and see what it means to be included in their ranks.
The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers selects only the best of the best to be invited into their ranks. The qualifications to be selected as one of the premier trial lawyers in the United States are extremely strict. Finding a lawyer that has been chosen as one of the select few to have been awarded this honor means you are in good hands. They have proven themselves at trials over and over again.
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
This peer review directory is a highly trusted source in the legal community. The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory surveys lawyers and others in the judicial system, asking them to rate their peers on different aspects. Things such as ethical practices and ability to perform are among the attributes rated. There are three ratings that a lawyer can possibly receive:
Rated-This is the lowest rating.
BV Distinguished-This rating is a widely respected rating in the legal community.
AV Preeminent-This highest level means that a lawyers peers find him or her at the top of their game.
Million Dollar Advocates Forum
The Million Dollar Advocates Forum has been around for over twenty years. The group of prestigious lawyers includes only 1% of all trial lawyers, a very rare group indeed. The main requirement is to have won million dollar, or multi-million dollar, verdicts and settlements. Other qualifications include showing a good use of skills in complex trial cases and strong ethical principles.
While these are only a few of the affiliations lawyers like to talk about, these three are some of the most prominent ones in the entire country. If you see these on a lawyers website or hanging on their wall, you know that they have proven themselves. Of course, it never hurts to ask. If you are unsure about an award or affiliation, be sure to ask your prospective lawyer about it. You can never feel too secure.
