Small Law Firms

Some Lawyer Awards And Rankings Are Pretty Chintzy

Lawyers are especially susceptible to the ego industry, possibly because attorneys are usually addicted to prestige.

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It is extremely difficult for attorneys to distinguish themselves in the legal marketplace.  Sure, lawyers can discuss their educational background and experience, but these accomplishments alone may not convince a prospective client to sign with a particular attorney.  In order to get a leg up in the marketplace, many lawyers apply for a variety of attorney awards and submit information to be listed in attorney rankings.  Although there are some lawyer rankings and awards that are truly prestigious and helpful in distinguishing attorneys, there are many lawyer rankings and awards that really don’t serve any purpose other than to boost the egos of those who receive these accolades.

As many legal practitioners know, there are a variety of attorney awards and rankings within the legal profession.  Many of these rankings are based on nominations made by other attorneys or by how extensively an attorney has engaged in a website operated by the ranking organization.  Other than reviewing some basic qualifications of people who apply for these rankings, there does not appear to be an extensive vetting process associated with many of the lawyer rankings and awards people use to promote themselves in the legal marketplace.  In addition, some of the lawyer rankings have odd-sounding names that should alert even a casual observer to the chintzy nature of these accolades.

Many bar authorities have cautioned practitioners about using various lawyer rankings and awards in advertising.  Some states even require that attorneys place disclaimers on advertisements which convey an attorney’s selection for particular awards and rankings.  Nevertheless, a number of chintzy awards and rankings abound in the legal profession.

Lawyer rankings are just one part of the “ego industry” that is prevalent in many fields and at many times in people’s lives.  Individuals want to feel good about themselves, and there will always be companies and organizations who can profit off of this underlying desire.  I first found this out when I was a high school student and I received a letter informing me that I had been selected for inclusion in a list of accomplished high school students.  I was really excited about this supposed accolade, since I couldn’t imagine why I would be included in such a list if I wasn’t worthy.  My parents ended up telling me that this organization was only after money, and that this accolade was virtually meaningless.

When I was in college, I received a letter informing me that I had been selected for an honor society, and that I could add this accomplishment to my résumé.  Of course, the honor society cost money, and I knew that this was not a true accolade for which I should proud.  Later in my life, I received a notice in the mail that I could be included in a list of accomplished professionals.  Of course, there was a fee to be included on this list.

Many lawyer rankings and awards are similar to the “ego accolades” that most of us encountered earlier in our lives.  There are few requirements to be selected for various attorney awards and rankings, and we have all heard stories of attorneys who are probably not worthy of praise receiving such awards.  Many lawyers do not consider the vetting process when considering if an accolade is worthy of praise.  Most people are just happy to have been selected for something, and this is why attorney awards and rankings are prevalent in the legal profession.

Many people might think that attorney rankings must be real, since there is typically no direct cost to be ranked.  As a result, it may be believed that many lawyer rankings and awards have a certain sense of legitimacy.  However, rankings and awards can be valuable to ranking organizations even if a direct fee is not charged to people who are ranked.

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Again, I first realized this principle when I was a kid, so I’m not sure why many attorneys can’t see through the chintzy nature of many attorney rankings and awards.  When I was in the fifth grade, my teacher submitted some poems my classmates and I wrote to a book of children’s poems.  The poems were really bad.  One of the lines in my poem was “space, space, it’s like a giant face” and my brother’s poem contained a line like “dogs, dogs, they play with hogs, but hardly ever play with logs.”  Clearly, we were not talented poets!

Nevertheless, to our surprise, our poems were included in the book!  Of course, our parents paid an arm and a leg to purchase the book in which we were published.  Even at that age, I got a sense that my poem wasn’t published because of merit, but to make a dollar.

In the legal profession, many lawyer rankings and awards can also make money even if there is no charge to be considered.  The awarding organizations have trademarks to their rankings and accolades, and many sell plaques about their awards.  I am sure most practicing attorneys have seen such plaques in the office of another practitioner at some point or another.  In addition, the publications that list attorneys who have been ranked can make money on advertisements, and people usually buy large quantities of the magazines that have these rankings.  As a result, there are many indirect ways to make money from lawyer rankings and awards.

There are chintzy rankings and awards for pretty much every profession, and I have heard my doctor friends tell me about the dubious rankings and accolades that target physicians.  However, for some reason, lawyers are especially susceptible to the ego industry, possibly because attorneys are usually addicted to prestige.  Of course, it is fine to advertise such accolades so long as ethical mandates are satisfied, and some attorney rankings that have a substantial vetting process and are very meaningful.  Nevertheless, people should keep in mind the profit motive behind many attorney awards and rankings, and aspire to achieve more bona fide accolades within the legal profession.

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Jordan Rothman is the Managing Attorney of The Rothman Law Firm, a New Jersey and New York litigation boutique. He is also the founder of Student Debt Diaries, a website discussing how he paid off his student loans. You can reach Jordan through email at [email protected].

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