‘Super Lawyers’ — Not So ‘Super’?

If you’ve visited a few attorneys’ websites, chances are you’ve run across bright red and yellow badges claiming certain lawyers have been rated a ‘Super Lawyer.’ The icon may invoke a mental image of a lawyer in a bright red cape soaring into the courtroom, tipping the scales of justice in their clients’ favors. Sounds impressive, right? What you probably don’t realize is that pretty much any lawyer with a few bucks and a few good friends can scam their way into one of these supposedly coveted positions.

Attorney advertising has always been a contentious issue for state and national Bar Associations. The question is: How far is too far? When advertisement crosses the line to self-aggrandisement and shameless self-promotion, lawyers put the reputation of the entire legal community at risk. How can our clients trust us when we are buying votes from silly ranking systems?

In 2006, The New Jersey State Bar Association even issued an opinion which stated that ‘Super Lawyers’ rankings violated the state’s code of conduct and ethics. The committee wrote, “These self-aggrandizing titles have the potential to lead an unwary consumer to believe that the lawyers so described are, by virtue of the manufactured title, superior to their colleagues who practice in the same area of law.”

When looking for an attorney for representation, look beyond the flashy “Super Lawyers,” “Best Lawyers” and “Avvo Rating” badges on a firm’s website. These “prestigious” rankings are no better than cheap marketing ploys used in everyday mass advertising. Chances are, the firm had a pretty large hand in achieving that so-called rank — or even worse, paid to be placed there.

Instead, look for a respected firm that has obtained awards and accolades from the State Bar Association, the United States Court systems and esteemed news organizations. Look for results. Look for a law practice with a proven track record of results.

At the family law firm of Bryan L. Salamone & Associates, P.C., we are in this business to protect our clients’ rights — not to ‘win’ awards from marketing companies looking to make a quick dollar. We are known in the community as bulldogs, inside and outside of the courtroom, fighting aggressively to uphold justice on behalf of each and every client who walks through our door.