A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SUPER LAWYERS
AN INSIDE LOOK AT SUPER LAWYERS Maximize a Super Lawyers Selection. This guide provides information for selected attorneys and firm managers on everything they need to know about Super Lawyers including the patented selection process, ways to promote a selection, frequently asked questions and more! CONTENTS COMPLETE GUIDE TO SUPER LAWYERS Super Lawyers Overview...4-7 Legal Hub... 8 How to Participate as a Firm Manager... 9 How to Participate as an Attorney...10-11 Marketing Solutions...12 Spread the News... 13 Frequently Asked Questions...14-15 Important Contacts...16 FOR MORE INFORMATION (877) 787-5290 3
SUPER LAWYERS OVERVIEW WHAT IS SUPER LAWYERS? A RESEARCH-DRIVEN, PEER-INFLUENCED RATING SERVICE of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Our mission is to provide VISIBILITY to attorneys who exhibit excellence in the practice of law. ATTORNEYS ARE SELECTED FROM 70+ PRACTICE AREAS AND ALL FIRM SIZES, ASSURING A CREDIBLE AND RELEVANT ANNUAL LIST. OUR PATENTED SELECTION PROCESS NOMINATIONS Diverse list of the top attorneys nominated by their own peers 1 2 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH Evaluated by third-party research across 12 key categories PEER EVALUATION Reviewed by a highly credentialed panel of attorneys 3 4 FINAL SELECTION 5% of attorneys selected to Super Lawyers 2.5% of attorneys selected to Rising Stars 4 SUPERLAWYERS.COM
SUPER LAWYERS OVERVIEW PRINT AND ONLINE VISIBILITY Super Lawyers offers a variety of tools to reach busy attorneys and affluent consumers, at no charge to selected attorneys. SUPER LAWYERS MAGAZINE 34 ISSUES REACHING 1.12M ATTORNEYS SPECIAL SECTIONS IN CONSUMER PUBLICATIONS 50+ CITY & REGIONAL MAGAZINES REACHING 17.3M CONSUMERS SUPER LAWYERS SPECIAL EDITIONS 13 AND GROWING REACHING 5.6M CONSUMERS SUPERLAWYERS.COM 1.2M PAGE VIEWS GENERATED EACH MONTH; 4X MORE TRAFFIC GENERATED FOR LAWYERS WITH PAID PROFILES MAXIMIZING YOUR SELECTION Expand your visibility and benefit from third-party validation with an integrated business development plan from Super Lawyers. PRINT ADVERTISING ONLINE ADVERTISING RECOGNITION & GIFTS CONTENT MARKETING FOR MORE INFORMATION (877) 787-5290 5
SUPER LAWYERS OVERVIEW OUR PROCESS SUPER LAWYERS Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multiphase process that includes peer nominations, evaluations and independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis. RISING STARS Super Lawyers selects the Rising Stars list with the criteria that candidates must be either 40 years of age or younger, or have practiced for 10 years or less. INDICATORS OF ACHIEVEMENT 1. Verdicts and settlements 2. Transactions 3. Representative clients 4. Experience 5. Honors and awards 6. Special licenses and certifications OUR GOAL 7. Position within law firm 8. Bar and/or other professional activity 9. Pro bono and community service as a lawyer 10. Scholarly lectures and writings 11. Education and employment background 12. Other outstanding achievements To create a credible, comprehensive and diverse list of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for referring attorneys and consumers seeking legal service. Since Super Lawyers is intended to be used as an aid in selecting a lawyer, we limit the lawyer ratings to those in private practice, who can be hired and retained by the public. OUR DISTINCTION Here s how Super Lawyers is distinguished from other attorney rankings: Each list is created methodically and objectively by combining research with peer nomination and review The selection process has been validated by courts and bar associations It is an annual list, not a lifetime achievement It is exclusive recognizing no more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state to the Super Lawyers list, and no more than 2.5 percent to the Rising Stars list You cannot buy your way onto the Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists 6 SUPERLAWYERS.COM
SUPER LAWYERS OVERVIEW OUR LINGO Being selected to a Super Lawyers or Rising Stars list is a distinct honor and it s important to refer to the brand correctly. Super Lawyers is a registered trademark and additionally, some state bar associations govern the use of lawyer ratings and marketing and we seek to comply with those rules. The term is not descriptive or comparative, but instead is a fact-based statement, and as such, is protected speech. Super Lawyers can refer to any or all of the following: the list, the magazine, the selection process or the honor. Super Lawyers never refers to an individual attorney or group of attorneys - INCORRECT: He is a Super Lawyer; this firm has many Super Lawyers - CORRECT: He was included on this year s Super Lawyers list; ten people from this firm were selected to Super Lawyers Super Lawyers is always plural Super Lawyers Magazine is always italicized List the year and jurisdiction when applicable, e.g., 2016 Texas Super Lawyers The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state. Super Lawyers does not claim to have named the top 5 percent of attorneys nationally. - INCORRECT: Kim was recognized by Super Lawyers, she s in the top 5 percent of lawyers in Florida. - CORRECT: Kim was recognized by Super Lawyers. No more than 5 percent of lawyers in Florida were recognized. Clients trust that the Super Lawyers process identifies the strongest attorneys in each practice area. Being listed provides objective evidence of being recognized for excellence by peer nominations and independent verification. SUPER LAWYERS READERSHIP SURVEY FOR MORE INFORMATION (877) 787-5290 7
LEGAL HUB The Legal Hub page is the central location on SuperLawyers.com for attorneys. To access it go to SuperLawyers.com and click For Lawyers in the top navigation, then select Legal Hub on the left-side of the menu dropdown. Here is where attorneys can access tools and resources for everything they need to know about Super Lawyers. LEGAL HUB TOOLS AND RESOURCES INCLUDE: Feature articles from Super Lawyers Magazine State-specific information Selection process overview Testimonials Latest posts from the Inside Super Lawyers Blog How to download your complimentary badge Marketing solutions Playbooks and Webcasts Digital editions of Super Lawyers Magazine Other Super Lawyers resources 8 SUPERLAWYERS.COM
HOW TO PARTICIPATE AS A FIRM MANAGER The Firm Management Tool allows a designated firm manager to make changes on behalf of an attorney. To access it, go to My.SuperLawyers.com and click Lawyer Login in the top-right corner. Once logged in, the buttons on the left side under Firm Management are where you can access important links to manage your firm s information. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 My Attorneys Update information, view profile page view analytics or download a badge for any attorney at your firm selected to a Super Lawyers or Rising Stars list. My Locations Edit your firm s office location information. My Contacts Edit your firm s office contact information. Track Nominations Review when nominations are open per state and view which attorneys at your firm have or have not nominated their peers. Data Verification Complete data verification for any attorney at your firm once they are notified of selection. Data verification is required to be listed in Super Lawyers print publications. Store Purchase online marketing solutions, recognition items and gifts for any selected attorney at your firm. FOR MORE INFORMATION (877) 787-5290 9
HOW TO PARTICIPATE AS AN ATTORNEY All selected attorneys (from any year) have an account at My.SuperLawyers.com where they can participate in the Super Lawyers selection process, order marketing solutions and manage their online attorney profile. To access it, go to My.SuperLawyers.com and click Lawyer Login in the top-right corner. Once logged in, the buttons on the left side under Items Needing Attention are where you can access important navigation links. 1 2 3 5 6 4 7 10 SUPERLAWYERS.COM
HOW TO PARTICIPATE AS AN ATTORNEY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nominate Your Peers Submit peer nominations by providing each person s name, firm, practice area and comments regarding your nomination. Attorney Nomination Guidelines: You may nominate up to 21 lawyers (7 in-firm, 7 out-of-firm, 7 Rising Stars) Campaigning or soliciting nominations is not allowed. Those nominations may result in disqualification Base nominations on first-hand knowledge, rather than reputation Add Focus Areas Add focus areas that apply to your legal practice to improve your visibility in the SuperLawyers.com attorney directory. Designated practice areas (i.e., Family Law ) or related focus areas (i.e., Divorce, Adoption ) will help you to appear prominently in search results. Verify Info Complete data verification of your practice area and contact information. Data verification is required to be listed in Super Lawyers print publications. Download Your Personalized Badge Download your complimentary personalized badge to showcase your Super Lawyers or Rising Stars list selection on your website, blog or other online property. Manage Your Profile Update your contact or practice information as well as add honors, accomplishments and credentials which are factors considered during the selection process. Evaluate Lawyers Recommend outstanding peers and notify us of attorneys we should consider for selection (not considered a formal nomination). Order Marketing Solutions Any selected attorney has the opportunity to order print, online, recognition or gift items in our easy-to-use online store by clicking any product category under ORDER MARKETING SOLUTIONS & GIFTS. FOR MORE INFORMATION (877) 787-5290 11
MARKETING SOLUTIONS The Super Lawyers suite of print and online solutions, recognition items and gifts promote a Super Lawyers or Rising Stars list selection and allow you to reach referring attorneys and consumers seeking legal services. Print influences word-of-mouth recommendations and receives high-impact visibility while online solutions allow clients to find you when searching online and strengthens your portfolio. An integrated marketing strategy that includes both channels ensures you can reach your audience in whichever way they prefer to consume content and compels viewers to take action. In fact, on average Super Lawyers print advertisers receive 2.5x more page views to their SuperLawyers.com attorney profile than non-print advertisers. PRINT Platinum Profile Display Advertising Ask Super Lawyers Print Advertising Standard Profile Impact Listing Premier Impact Listing FULL PAGE PLATINUM PROFILE 1/3 PAGE STANDARD PROFILE JOHN R. SMITH ATTORNEY AT LAW Anytown 123 456 7890 www.lawfirmname.com ATTORNEY IMPACT LISTING ONLINE Premium Online Attorney Profile Expanded Online Attorney Profile TopSpots Spotlights Ask Super Lawyers Answer Page Premium Online Firm Profile PREMIUM ONLINE ATTORNEY PROFILE ASK SUPER LAWYERS ANSWER PAGE CONTENT Legal Leader RECOGNITION & GIFTS Selection Collection Anniversary Collection Recognition Video Plaque Apparel Barware Business Accessories Sporting Goods RECOGNITION PLAQUE BARWARE BUSINESS ACCESSORIES To order, contact your Associate Publisher. 12 SUPERLAWYERS.COM
Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters 2018 EDITION 2017 EDITION SPREAD THE NEWS Check out these additional resources to promote a Super Lawyers or Rising Stars list selection. These are all complimentary you ve earned it! SUPER LAWYERS BADGES Showcase a selection online with a personalized attorney badge. Badges feature an attorney s name and are available for special milestones such as a 5 or 10-year selection anniversary or being featured on a Top List. To get your badge, go to your Super Lawyers online profile and click the Download Badge button at the bottom. RATED BY RISING STARS Your Name Here SuperLawyers.com LEARN MORE at SuperLawyers.com/about/attorney_badge.html SUPER LAWYERS PLAYBOOKS Check out our comprehensive thought leadership pieces. Leveraging Your Legal Accolades demonstrates how to spread the word about legal achievements and Master the Art of Referrals provides tactics on how to build and maintain your referral network. LEVERAGING YOUR LEGAL ACCOLADES TO DOWNLOAD visit SuperLawyers.com/for_lawyers.html PROMOTIONAL KITS Our Super Lawyers and Rising Stars promotional kits include templates for press releases, emails, blog posts and social media posts to help announce a selection. Contact your Super Lawyers Associate Publisher to get your copy! CONTACT your Associate Publisher to receive your copy RISING STARS PROMOTIONAL KIT SUPER LAWYERS PROMOTIONAL KIT CONNECT WITH US! Grow your legal network and stay up-to-date on Super Lawyers happenings and special offers. VISIT SuperLawyers.com/social FOR MORE INFORMATION (877) 787-5290 13
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS NOMINATION Who is entitled to nominate? To be eligible to make nominations, an attorney must be licensed and practicing in the state where he or she wishes to nominate. Can I nominate myself? No. How do I nominate attorneys for Super Lawyers? If you are a practicing attorney, login to My.SuperLawyers.com during your state s nomination process by clicking the Lawyer Login in the top-right corner. Once you login, click the Nominate Your Peers orange button on the left side of your Dashboard. You can nominate and write comments for up to 21 attorneys. Please note that self-nominations are not accepted. To see a list of states where nominations are being accepted, go to SuperLawyers.com/about/nominations.html. If you are not a practicing attorney, send an email to sl-research@thomsonreuters.com with comments and suggestions on attorneys we should consider for inclusion. These informal nominations carry no point value in our lawyer-rating system, but will ensure that the attorneys are placed in our candidate pool for further evaluation. Can I nominate a lawyer from another state? Our nomination page at My.SuperLawyers.com is designed to accept only in-state nominations. However, you may comment on and evaluate lawyers from other states by clicking the Evaluate Lawyers blue heading on your Dashboard homepage. These comments and evaluations will be treated as informal nominations which carry no point value in our rating system, but will ensure that the attorneys are placed in our candidate pool for further evaluation. May I nominate via paper ballot? Yes. Go to http://downloads.superlawyers. com/pdf/slrs_web_ballot.pdf. Print, complete and email your ballot by the printed deadline. Can you confirm that you received my ballot? If you completed your ballot online and provided us with your email address, you will receive confirmation by email. We are unable to confirm receipt of paper ballots. I want to know who nominated me. Will you tell me? No. We maintain strict confidentiality over the balloting process. ONLINE PROFILES How can I change the information displayed in my online attorney profile? If you have an Expanded or Premium Online Attorney Profile on SuperLawyers.com, you can update the information displayed using the Profile Manager on My.SuperLawyers.com. Once you login, click the Manage Your Profile link on your Dashboard. Any changes will be visible on your profile page and will be reflected in the SuperLawyers.com search results within 24 hours. How can I add/update my photo on my profile page? If you already have a photo, you can change it anytime using the Profile Manager at My.SuperLawyers.com. Please upload a photo that is at least 500px wide. If your profile page does not contain your photograph, then you must first upgrade to a Premium Online Attorney Profile or Expanded Online Attorney Profile. Contact your Associate Publisher or call 1-877-787-5290 for more information. How can I link to my profile page? Do you provide graphics to use on my website? Every profile page contains a link to a personalized Super Lawyers attorney badge that you can place on your site. The necessary HTML is presented as a block of code that can be easily copied and pasted into any webpage. How can I have my blog headlines appear on my profile page? You can add this information to your 14 SUPERLAWYERS.COM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Profile using the Profile Manager on My.SuperLawyers.com. For this feature to work you need to enter the URL for your blog s RSS or Atom feed. SUPER LAWYERS SELECTION If I have been selected to a Super Lawyers list, can I refer to myself as a Super Lawyer? A lawyer on our list is not a Super Lawyer, or a Rising Star. Rather, he or she has been named to the 2016 Minnesota Super Lawyers list or 2016 Minnesota Rising Stars list. When used properly, the term is not descriptive or comparative. Instead, it s a fact-based statement, and as such, is protected speech. If I am notified that I have been selected, is there anything I need to do? Yes! You are required to complete data verification online by clicking the Lawyer Login in the top-right corner of My.SuperLawyers.com. Once logged in, click the Verify Info orange button and on the next page, click the Edit Your Information gray button. Please review all contact and practice area information, complete the Good Standing Attestation section and click Save to finish. Please note, only selected attorneys who data verify will be listed in their state s print publication(s). I was listed in Super Lawyers last year but not this year. What happened? We perform a new round of balloting and Blue Ribbon Panel review each year, so the list undergoes some degree of change from year to year. Being listed one year does not guarantee that you will be published the following year. Why don t you list non-private practice lawyers such as public defenders, prosecutors and in-house counsel? 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. Can I pay to be published in Super Lawyers? No. We maintain strict separation between research and advertising. The names of all attorneys selected by Super Lawyers are published in our print publications and at SuperLawyers.com at no charge whether attorneys advertise or not. Advertising sales do not begin until after the selection process is completed. How many lawyers make the list? 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 either be 40 years old or younger, or in practice for 10 years or less. I have a national litigation practice and don t try local cases. I m afraid I ll be overlooked in the balloting. What can I do? Our research team evaluates candidates on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Be sure to keep your profile up-to-date on My.SuperLawyers.com, because our researchers will be notified each time an update is made. This is very important for making yourself visible during the research process. GENERAL How do I make sure I receive email from Super Lawyers? We currently send email with the following From address: mailer-noreply@superlawyers.com. If you whitelist these addresses, you should receive all of our main bulk mailings. FOR MORE INFORMATION (877) 787-5290 15
IMPORTANT CONTACTS EDITORIAL Do you have an interesting story for Super Lawyers? The editor welcomes suggestions for articles: Email: sl-edit@thomsonreuters.com RESEARCH Do you have questions about the Super Lawyers or Rising Stars selection process or about nominations? Email: sl-research@thomsonreuters.com ADVERTISING/SALES To purchase or inquire about advertising in Super Lawyers, call: (877) 787-5290 and press 1 OTHER QUESTIONS Please call and press the appropriate number from the directory: (877) 787-5290 RECOGNITION ITEMS & GIFTS For Super Lawyers Recognition Items and Gifts, please contact: Email: sl-merchandise@thomsonreuters.com ONLINE PROFILE SERVICE If you have questions about online profiles, please call: (302) 444-9504 LEARN MORE at SuperLawyers.com