Super Lawyers?

Many of you may have seen a publication called "Super Lawyers." It is actually an advertising supplement to a magazine. You don't have to pay to be listed, you only pay if you want your name displayed prominently in a large box or in a page with a story about you that looks like news.

Can a lawyer who is included in the publication then publicize that he or she is a super lawyer? This has been the source of much debate recently, particularly in New Jersey where the state Supreme Court is debating whether to amend its rules on advertising to regulate what kind of information lawyers can use to advertise services. For an update on that story go here.

For the thoughts of a practicing attorney who is included in Super Lawyers go here, where he states in part: "What, exactly, do I do with this "honor"? Is this really an award to put on your wall or display on your website? Or is it a faux-award? A pseudo-faux award? . . . I have mixed feelings about this. The company that puts out the information says the lawyers are vetted before they appear. . . . Of course, they never asked me to evaluate any of my peers. And I don't know anyone else that was asked to do an evaluation. . . . I must confess that this all seems pretty meaningless to me. . . . But that little logo sure looks nice, doesn't it? And it would look great on a website if someone were looking for counsel. (Though not so good if a juror should see it and conclude I was thoroughly full of myself.) . . ."